Property Reassessment

August 20, 2008

Homeowners face property dilemma

Residents in Parks Estates, who own homes but rent property, now face eviction.

EILEEN GODIN Times Leader Correspondent

HARVEYS LAKE – Residents being evicted from their homes dominated the borough meeting on Tuesday night.

Council member Betty Jane West brought to light the dilemma of several residents in Parks Estates, on Parks Road and Old Lake Road. Residents in this area own their homes but rent the property that the houses sit on. Letters of eviction were received by these families from Homework Construction Co.

Residents like Richard Heuer have a choice to move their home or pay to demolish it. Heuer said his two homes, which have been in his wife’s family since the 1900s, are in jeopardy.

The odd arrangement, to build a home on rented property, started back when the homes were viewed as summer properties, Heuer said.

“We were told, verbally, that we would have first option to buy the land.” Heuer said. “But we were never told it was for sale.”

There are about 12 homes on Old Lake Road and 10 on Parks Road that are on notice.

Heuer said he and his wife have lived on their property since he retired from the Navy in 1976. He is pursuing legal channels to see what choices are available to him and his wife.

“I’m almost 70. Who is going to want to give me a loan to demolish a home and buy a new one?”

On the recent suggestion that the borough secede from Luzerne County to become part of Wyoming County due to complaints about new assessed property values, council member Diane Dwyer said a resident had provided her with information about the process, but the board has not looked into it yet.

“It would be a very long process if it were to happen.” She said. “First we would have to develop a referendum and vote on it. Then it would have to be approved by Luzerne County and Wyoming County. It could take a year.”

In other news, residents were invited to car pool to the Luzerne County Commissioners’ meeting scheduled for 1 p.m. today in Building 10 on the Luzerne County Community College Campus, Nanticoke. The residents are asked to come to the borough building before 11:45 on Wednesday morning.

Tweet	Follow @TLnews

Send Question or Remark to the Publisher

This story also appears on the following websites...