Tag: 4712 Castor Avenue

We reported last week on the Northwood Civic meeting and noted that the squatters who had been occupying 4712 Castor Avenue had departed.  Yesterday an email came in from the squatter.  So I asked her if I could share it with you.

Hello, My name is Elizabeth.
I recently saw your post about the property on 4712 Castor Ave. I recently moved from there, I was living in there as a squatter. I didn’t have a place to go or shelter my son. I lived in that property for about 7 months and I tried my best to fix up the property, mowing the lawn, keeping up the property and trying to make it a better looking property for that area. I cleaned up the house from top to bottom, and I tried my best to get in contact with many people from City Hall to some city council members and no one had any information about this property.

I wanted to keep it and obtain it like my own, I had to move out because it went to sheriff sale for the second time and I still think it’s still up for sheriff sale. I’m not sure if you can help me out with this situation. I admire the property, I took care of it for about 6-7 months. And no one I went to seemed to care, I just want to live there, fix up the property so it can decrease crime and bring a up the community since this house been abandoned for quite some years. Thank You for reading and if you can come up with any ideas, please feel free to email me. Thank you again!

There was nobody that I recall who had anything negative to say about Elizabeth.  The issue is with the bank or whoever owns the property now.  They let it sit vacant and it becomes a target for whatever element wants to use it.  In a way, Elizabeth was doing the neighborhood a service by occupying it and taking care of it.  These properties that go to foreclosure are a ticking time bomb in Northwood.  If they accumulate for any period of time it can only lead to more problems.

4712 Castor Avenue has often been discussed at the Northwood Civic meetings.  It is the big house on the corner of Castor and Herbert.  It is listed in the August 3rd sheriff sales.

271-315

4712 Castor Ave.     23rd Ward 13,638.80 sq. ft. BRT# 233126100 Improvements: Residential Property
RICHARD M. SNYDER C.P. April Term, 2007 No. 00523     $260,063.38     Phelan Hallinan & Schmieg, LLP

Photo taken while it was vacant and courtesy of JM.