MASON CITY – City officials have deemed a house a nuisance and unsafe, but the city council gave the homeowner an extension before ordering the structure demolished.
City staff asked the Mason City council for permission to go ahead with the tear down of 32 6th Street NW, owned by Phillip A. Flinchum. All the costs of the demolition would be assessed to Flinchum.
Flinchum addressed the council Tuesday evening, July 15th. He said he bought the house 40 years ago and it was built in the late 1800’s. He said he has “had a lot of stuff” in the house but he has “worked so hard” to clean up the house since it was broken into sometime in 2012. Health problems have slowed him down as well, he said.
Flinchum said he called City Administrator Brent Trout to ask about what he could do to save his home, and Trout told him to work on cleaning up the place as quickly as possible. He said the very next day, a city building inspector delivered a notice that the house could be condemned and torn down.
The property at 32 6th Street NW sits on a corner lot, with some of the adjacent properties well-cared for. Neighbors said that they regard Flinchum’s home as an eyesore and want action taken. The home is surrounded by a semi-trailer, moving trucks and a hearse, all appearing to be full of “stuff”. A car sits in the back yard that appears to be not in working condition. The house seems to be somewhat run-down, and most of the windows are covered with boxes or baskets full of “stuff”; some windows are cracked or broken. The west wall has a sign tacked to it, stating “dangerous building do not occupy”. A house next door has a “for sale” sign in the yard.
The council voted 4-2 to give Flinchum an additional 30 days to clean up the property or it would be condemned and demolition would proceed. Alex Kuhn and Janet Solberg voted against the extension. Flinchum had been given notice months ahead of the July 15th meeting that he was close to the city taking action.
Phil should let them tear down the house, but keep the land and store many semi trailers on the land. I wonder if they are only $20 also?
Under city ordinance you can not park or store semi trailers on residential property. I am surprised they haven’t made him move them.
this trailer is there for him to transfer his items into for his move. no different than having a mayflower semi in the yard.
Shouldn’t he be able to just put up a privacy fence?
I thought you were going to help him clean his place up? 🙂
The fence of course would be a last resort…….
this guy may be a great guy, but he lives in a neighborhood and he is not a good neighbor. He obviously has no regard for the people who live around him. We have rules to live by and they should be enforced. It really seems like they have given him plenty of chances to clean up his act.
Take a look at some of Russ Hardy’s houses. Why is he any different why hasn’t he been told to clean up his properties? How/why does he get by with avoiding landlord/tenant housing codes. Some of his houses are not fit for living conditions but somehow the city avoids taking action about that.
Russ Hardy should be a good Christian, and start rent to own programs for his tenants to one day own the homes he puts them in, for a fair price. That’s what Russ Hardy should do. Same goes to Ed Kent, Jim Marinos and all the other monopoly landlords out there who own all the real estate. George W. Bush called for an “ownership society”, and it’s time these landlords answer his call.
You seem to have all the answers Peter, especially for someone who lives in their mother’s basement.
Someone call HOARDERS: BURIED ALIVE, and see if they want to do a show. Might as well.
I’m not defending the actions of the city or trying to take away from any of the good deeds done by Mr. Flinchum, but…would you want to live next door to this mess? How much would your property lose in valuation if you did live next to this property? Would you buy a property that adjoins this one? Are the vehicles currently licensed? Does this property meet the criteria and conditional use allowances set by the P&Z Board? Is this property an eyesore and need to be addressed? I say yes.
Not taking any sides here, I just have a question. Is that the area where a lot of houses were torn down because of the floods a few years back?
No. This place is near Birdsalls.
so this isn’t over by hoover?
Hoover School? The article says the address is 32 6th St NW which puts it on the north side of 6th St NW between Federal an Washington.
Your comments are absolutely right on. He appears to be a great guy but lives a life style that has a profoundly negative impact on neighbors. Enforce the current code and hold him accountable. I dont want Santa as my neighbor.
cut down the volunteer trees around the house, put up curtains so nothing can be see within the house, remove the vehicles that have items visible, and you have nothing left but any average house in most neighborhoods. At least this isnt one of the many drug houses in Mason City. Many homes have toys and bicycles, barking dogs in the yard. yards full of dog shit. Is this any better
If Mr. Flinchum had kept his hoard inside the house and done basic maintenance to the exterior, the City would not be on him to clean up the property.
Is there a way to get volunteers together and help him out? I will help!!
Let me get this straight’ this man donates and volunteers his time for YOUR CITY and you want to take more? Seriously, you people up there need to stop throwing your Authority around because one day its going to come back and bite you all in the ass! I have an idea why not help him fix up his house just like you help all YOUR FRIENDS. You all up there make me want to vomit.
Oh look heres ANOTHER Globe article that mentions Phil VOLUNTEERING his time for THIS CITY
http://globegazette.com/news/local/one-square-meal-a-day-community-kitchen-s-only-mission/article_2c1dfffc-f3d9-569c-9221-1b8251543c30.html
Is this him?
http://www.thebalitimes.com/2007/03/30/lifetimes-phillip-flinchum/
Either way its still not right to take from someone who has given ALL his life! Pathetic!
Hey everyone check this piece of article out sent in by Phil in 2002. And now these people want to take from him?? DISGRACE!
http://globegazette.com/news/local/globe-trotting-santa-finds-generosity-returned/article_0ab19b56-a8b9-563e-8332-21fcfcaff2c9.html
Unbelievable! Instead of threatening to tear down this mans house why not volunteer to help him rid of some of his stuff? According to comments it seems this man volunteers his time for others. Who do you people up there in city hall think you are? You wouldn’t like it if someone threatened to damage some of your stuff so why do it to this man? Disgusting!
Phil Flinchum is one of the nicest people that you will ever meet. Very soft spoken and generous. He travels this country and others giving presents/toys to under privileged children at his own expense. I wish I had a building that he could put his treasures in, out of the city limits of course.
I also know Phil very well. He has been playing a store Santa in the Boston area for many now in December. He travels the United states selling this “stuff in boxes” for a living. I doubt that anyone here who is almost 70 years old could get this job done in 30 days. It didnt arrive in 30 days, so forcing a 70 year old man out of his house is wrong. shame on Mason City.
PS the trailer only showed up recently so he could move his inventory. Why wasnt it reported this way???