Columbus, Georgia

Columbus Consolidated Government

Memorandum







TO: Mayor and Councilors DATE: March 13, 2003



THROUGH: Carmen Cavezza SUBJECT: Council Referral,

City Manager

2310 N. Andrews Circle

Owner, Geraldine Hollis

FROM: William L. Duck, Jr., Chief

Inspections & Code Enforcement Division





Per Council?s request, Inspections & Code Enforcement Division has revisited

the above referenced address with regard to its condemned status.



On March 12, 2003, Building Official Bill Duck and Housing Code Coordinator

Rebecca Wiggins reinspected this property and found more fire damage than was

originally observed. The rear apartment was totally involved in fire such that

one corner of an exterior wall was completely burned through. The adjacent

apartment (which appears to be part of the original brick structure) was burned

and heavily smoke damaged. As fire continued through the house, heat burned

the paper off the sheetrock in some rooms and caused smoke damage almost

throughout. We estimate the fire and smoke damage to the entire house at sixty

(60%) percent.



The house is not boarded up and is not secure. The glass in a window on the

left elevation is completely out, affording access to the interior.



Further investigation revealed that there are other code violations, as follows:



The heater vent to the exterior is rotten and therefore useless;

The siding, door frame, and exterior door at rear apartment are rotten;

The HVAC unit has been completely dismantled and must be replaced;

Window glass is broken;

The roof decking and eaves are rotten;

The handrails on exterior steps and rails on front porch do not meet

code;

The front corner foundation has failed, causing the exterior brick

veneer to buckle

and crack; and,







MEMO

To Mayor and Councilors

2310 N. Andrews Circle

Owner, Geraldine Hollis

March 13, 2003

Page 2



Roofing material is missing on the rear corner of the house, exposing the

plywood decking.



The violations listed above are in addition to the fire damage.



This house is situated in close proximity between two occupied brick homes.



The owner, Ms. Geraldine Hollis, received an insurance check in the amount of

approximately $20,000.00, in early 2001, or thereabouts.



In response to Councilor McDaniel?s question as to why the insurance company

paid both the mortgage holder and the owner, per William Hardigree, Attorney

for Southern Mutual Insurance Company, the bank (mortgage holder) was named on

the insurance policy as an insured.



Additional photographs were taken on March 12, 2003, and are enclosed.



If you need further information, please let me know.





WLDJr:art



Attachments







C:\MyFiles\COMPLAINT.Andrews.2003.CityMgr.doc