Ada Place is a unique Queen Anne lined one block Street on the City's East Side (google map). It is the sister to Coe Place in Midtown. Ada Place is exactly what it sounds like - an authentic place - something that is increasingly rare in this age of mass commodification and replication. It is a place that can not be replaced.
38 Ada Place - Owner: Bethel CDC/Rev. Stenhouse
Rev. Stenhouse's organization Bethel Community Development Corporation purchased 38 Ada Place in 2002. Three years ago I included a post about 38 Ada Place in a six part series about a failed neighborhood housing plan. Rev. Stenhouse wanted to be part of that plan. 38 Ada Place looked like this in March 2009.
Rev. Stenhouse was invited to Housing Court for his failure to properly maintain a string of houses across the street from his Bethel AME Church, near the corner of East Ferry and Michigan and directly across the street from one of the City's newest school renovations - Performing Arts. He later resigned from the Buffalo Fiscal Stability Authority when he plead guilty in Buffalo's Housing Court in 2007. He'd been appointed by Governor Pataki to be the Control Board's Secretary and Treasurer in 2004.
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Rev. Stenhouse was invited to Housing Court for his failure to properly maintain a string of houses across the street from his Bethel AME Church, near the corner of East Ferry and Michigan and directly across the street from one of the City's newest school renovations - Performing Arts. He later resigned from the Buffalo Fiscal Stability Authority when he plead guilty in Buffalo's Housing Court in 2007. He'd been appointed by Governor Pataki to be the Control Board's Secretary and Treasurer in 2004.
What happened to that failed neighborhood housing plan? It's dead. Rev. Stenhouse and his now defunct Jeremiah Partnership are defendants in a Federal "Pay-to-Play" lawsuit. Here's a copy of that lawsuit filed on behalf of a Cleveland Ohio based developer NRP Group in June 2011. According to public records the Jeremiah Partnership failed to file the required 990's for three consecutive years. The IRS has revoked its exempt status.
Calls to Bethel CDC and Rev. Stenhouse were not returned this week. The future of 38 Ada Place remains uncertain. _____________________________________________________________________________________
This is so sad. Things sounded so hopeful, and then nothing! Can this home go on the $1 list now?
Leah - Bethel CDC paid $2000 for the house 10 years ago. If/when the City takes possession of the property it probably won't be available for $1. Those homestead eligible properties are available in clearly defined - determined by some soon-to-be expiring federal regulations - areas of the city. Ada Place is not one of those areas.
An idea here...
If neighbors of well kept homes are forced to live next door to homes in this condition they should be given a tax break.. and the amount of the break should be billed to the owner of the vacant dilapidated structure!
Michele J
If neighbors of well kept homes are forced to live next door to homes in this condition they should be given a tax break.. and the amount of the break should be billed to the owner of the vacant dilapidated structure!
Michele J
INDEED ...I have done so Michele..owning a piece of property next door to Canadian SLUMLORDS known as Hopeful Holdings LLC. I had my assess. reduced 10k for 1 year...and 5k since then..had to argue like crazy with pictures, letters etc at the hearing..but it was done. Perhaps when this action becomes more commonplace...the city will get off its rear and become more agressive, and the Housing courts will give these slobs a shorter lease!