New-York tribune., 1908-03-17
SOME OWNERS UNLUCKY
LOSE By CITY'S ACTIONS.
J. II. HaHock Analyses Certain Con-
demnati0n PROCEEDINGS.


that the city ever deals harshly with owners OF
property condemned for municipal purposes as the
assertion that fortunate is the person who mas
property to be taken by the city has generally peen
considered to be fact The city. however, does
occasionally treat in unjust rlanner property
owners with parcels needed for municipal purposes.
according to John H. Hallock, well known real
estate broker and appraiser, who spoke last night
on How and Why Property Is Condemned before
the real estate school of the West Side Young
Mems Christian Association, No. 800 West 5Ith
street. Mr. Hallock. moreover, said in his address
that condemnation proceedings were so completely
interviewer with politics that the proceedings were
not only unnecessarily expensive TO the city, but
to property owners and occupied very long pc
rod of time when in many, if not in the majority
Of cases, the actions could be quickly and salts
factorily settled.
81 suggest that this order of things be changed;
that the city pay to the property owner the sum
of the original award determined by the court as
soon as the award is fixed and that the difference
between the representing what the owner
thinks his property worth and what he got figure
only as the amount for final settlement. In that
way the would get a large part of what he
seeks to get Immediately after the original award
made the city would have to pay
him per interest from the date of the original
award to the date of final settlement With a COM
mission with full powers to pass upon condemna-
ton proceedings, the average condemnation case
could be settled in about sixty days"
He urged that such actions be divorced from pol
itics and that a commission of representative bus-
ness and realty be chosen with power to begin.
hear and determine all condemnation proceedings
affecting property in this city. He also suggested
that the law providing for the commission be so
framed that the commission could appoint various
sub-commissions district commissions for han
ding condemnation proceedings affecting one or
more parcels in the district in which the district
commission .had its headquarters.
The head of the chief commission on condenna-
ton matters said Mr. Hallock, ought to be paid
yearly salary OF $4,000 and the other members
about $500. This commission should meet every
day, and the hours of this court should be the
same as the Supreme Courts. For condemnation
purposes the city could be divided into six or more
districts For instance, that section south OF 1ith
street could be divided into a westerly and an
easterly district; between 18th street and 10th
street there could also two districts easterly
and the other westerly. and north of 10th street
one section might all the land of Fifth
avenue and extending to the Harlem River. and
another all the property west of Fifth avenue and
extending to the Harlem Ship Canal
Under present conditions owners whose ideas as
to the valuation of their properties 10 be taken
by the city 90 not agree with those held by city
officials often wait several years before they can
be legally heard and their cases finally settled.
During the period of this appeal and until the case
is settled forever the sum Of the award bears
interest at per cent. That in itself Is a heavy
burden for the city to carry. And what ABOUT the
owner? He is deprived of the earning power OF
his property from the time the original award is
made until the final settlement Of the case, and
often such deprivation leaves him in straitened
circumstances because he has other property
Nearly every announcement about the CITY go
ing to take property usually drives the tenants
off the premises long before the title to the prop
erty becomes vested in the city Often owners OF
tenement houses have to plead with tenants 10
remain on the premises and protect the property
and they stay under such circumstances without
paying rent. Deserted houses about 10 be con-
dernned by the city usually a profitable Held
of operation thieves, who tear out lead pipes.
etc. and 10 bad boys, who break windows and
destroy stoops and doors. About the time the
houses look as if they had been swept by violent
/ storm. the city's photographer appears on the
scene and takes snapshots Of the premises, ana
such pictures do help the owners case in the
condemnation proceedings. owners who own such
rows of houses should have their houses photo
graphed as soon as they know the city wants their
property
The city spends about $2oel0.e0 for school fire
house and other municipal building sites and parks
each year. 1t has plans already under consldera-
ton for spending S000000o for property yet to be
condemned and that does not include such projects
as the aQueduct and watershed
The speaker then said he had written to various
state officials for information to the methods
used by their respective states in condemnng land
u got courteous and satisfactory replies from all
of them except from the Attorney General of this
state. 1 received word from his office that The
magnitude of his work prevented him from supply
ing the information desired Well, l why he
is so busy. He has been of late appointing some
of his office workers and friends receivers OF
banks and trust companies"