MASON CITY – A Lake Mills man who works as a banker in Forest City has been cited by Mason City code enforcement at two properties and is likely facing more charges due to the conditions of a third rental house.
Spencer Stensrude, age 28 of Lake Mills who claims via social media to work as a credit analyst at MBT Bank in Forest City, owns nearly a dozen properties in Mason City. City staff tell NIT Stensrude has been a licensed landlord in Mason City since 2011.
One of the properties, 1316 North Jefferson Avenue, was inspected by a city building inspector on May 13, 2015, due to ongoing issues at that location. Stensrude was present, NIT is told, and the house was “white tagged” by the inspector – meaning the home fails to meet city code. The tenant was given until May 28 to vacate the residence.
Mason City police told NIT that at least 13 calls for service were executed at the house within the last year; the reasons range from complaints about animals, suspicion, disorderly disturbances, domestic incidents and a health violation.
According to a neighbor, the rental house was more or less trashed, and little was done to prevent it.
“In one years time they completely destroyed that house,” the Mason City man told NIT. “The plumbing has been destroyed, all the carpeting ripped out, (probably because of the two dogs doing their thing on it). Garbage all through the house, windows and doors broken. When (the tenants) left, they left all the trash, a junk car, broken glass and a garage full of garbage.”
Stensrude has also faced special assessments at this property from the city for what is listed as water repair, weed mowing and sidewalk repair. Mason City Neighborhood Services staff say Stensrude will be cited and law enforcement will be paying him a visit.
“We are just now writing the citation for 1316 N. Jefferson,” Neighborhood Services Manager Pat Otto told NIT. “His citations require personal service from the Winnebago Sheriff’s office.” Once delivered the citations, he will have a court date on the citations connected to his rental property at 1316 North Jefferson.
Stensrude has also created two other “nuisance” properties in Mason City in his career as a landlord: 118 North Madison and 238 8th Street SE.
City staff again tell NIT that Stensrude was cited and hauled into court by the city of Mason City due to the conditions he allowed these two properties to denigrate into. NIT requested details on these citations.
“The particular court case you are referring to is for 118 N. Madison and 238 8th Street SE” Ms. Otto told NIT. “The charges ‘Allowed the creation and maintenance of a nuisance’ – junk rubbish and refuse accumulation.”
A judge found Stensrude had violated city code and fined him $50 per count. He was ordered to pay a total of $304.55 in fines and court costs, and was placed on a payment plan.
NIT photographed the outside of these three properties. 118 North Madison is strewn with garbage, trash and weeds. It appears to have been “white-tagged” by building inspectors. 238 8th Street SE is overgrown with weeds and is vacant. NIT has knowledge of the inside this house. Despite extensive “renovations”, the house appeared to be in extremely poor condition with rotting floors, walls and ceilings. 1316 North Jefferson also appeared to be in very poor condition.
Now, the city appears to be on the hook to clean up Stensrude’s properties.
“We are waiting on a return call from an asset protection company that has been hired for 118 N. Madison and we are getting bids for clean up at 238 8th St. SE,” Ms. Otto explained.
Via social media, Spencer Stensrude claims he’s “passionate about my work and becoming the best person that I can be.” He also says “Before joining MBT, I was able to build experience in the real estate, insurance, and investment industries which has proven itself to be very valuable.”
Very strange. They found the drug used to make meth in the garage and think that may be the reason the sewer is clogged. Meth makers flush the residue down the drains. But nothing has been done about it that I am aware of. Also, I understand Stensrude thinks he can fix the place up and rent it again. The “bathroom” is non-existant, the sewer is clogged, (probably with meth waste.) There are 13 broken window, all of the door are broken out with blankets over the doors and windows. The house never went through inspection before he rented it the first time and will not pass inspection now. Oh yea, the roof is leaking and needs the structure replaced. I doubt that they will ever get it…
LVS-Which address are you referring to? If it is the one on Jefferson they just need to bulldoze that place. What an eyesore for the people that live in that neighborhood.
The address is 1316 N. Jefferson Ave. and yes, the neighborhood hates that place. When te drug dealing jerk was there they were coming and going all night. Little do they know that the neighbors recorded and turned into the police every license plate that was there.
This is the type of landlord that rents to these low life thugs and drug dealers. Ridiculous. Sure he doesn’t live in Mason City, so what does he care?
@Anonymous-Exactly. He sure wouldn’t want it in his neighborhood, but doesn’t mind ruining our neighborhood or city as long as he gets his slum money.
Kinda like MCPD selectivly policing !!
I don’t think the are selectively policing. If you have 100 pieces of dog poop in a yard, you need to start somewhere. People will feel picked on and in my mind – that’s okay. I want Mason City to be the way it used to be. Don’t you?
I appreciate NIT reporting on stories like this. There should be more focus on rehabbing Mason City and revitalizing the community.
All of these things are no different than any of the other landlords and a lot of what is mentioned in the story is the fault of the renters not the landlord. I have worked for every landlord in town and even the best of them have had issues like this. I have worked for this guy as well and he is definitely a very good person he wouldn’t do anything wrong intentionally. I’m sure it is very difficult to make your renters do anything and every time you fix something up they tear it apart.
That is pure bull. The guy was running drugs, had multiple assault and domestic charges, had pit bulls running loose and a landlord who never once came by the. He knocked out 13 windows and all the doors, and destroyed the plumbing and carpeting and all this in a year. You are a liar.
Read the other comments fool. Who do you think you are kidding with a comment like that? You must be on his payroll.
@Anonymous-I know for a fact Ressler was called several times. I also know the police were there 13 times in a year and are required to call the landlord after three times. Lets see now, that would make four times the police notified him. I know neighborhood Services contacted him four times (which he ignored.) I know he was in court once and paid a fine after pleading guilty. Now, shout up and quit lying.
I believe they have cleaned up the yard and mowed the grass on N. Jefferson Ave. Of course that doesn’t fix the broken windows or doors not to mention the plumbing. It will cost a fortune to get it through inspection.
I stand correct on this, they cleaned up part of it but threw the trashy chairs and other items on top of the tall grass in the back yard. If this is the type of work done by Joss Ressler he would never do any work for me.
Check out 501 North Massachusetts, the grain elevator on North Massachusetts and the former Kansas City Steak House. What an eye sore!
It looks dangerous also.
Kansas steakhouse has been slated for demo for mos. and is being tore down now.
there are properties around town just as bad but the Neighborhood services turns their backs and looks the other way because of who owns them. If a property is white tagged the owner should be given 60 days to do something with the property, fix it up or tear it down, then we wouldn’t have these eyesores around. No if,ands or buts, 60 days and its gone if not fixed. Those of you think that this is wrong, we will move one right next door to you and see if you still feel this way.
@Anonymous-I have seen the other run down properties all over town. Especially in the center of town. I think the problem is someone has to turn them in and there is a ordinance about police calls that brings it to their attention. Again, the inspectors are already overloaded, they just don’t have time to go looking for these places. In the case of the N. Jefferson dump the neighbors all got together and decided they were not going to put up with it and did something about it.
I agree and have called the city to complain but the problem is that someone has to pay the bill to get them torn down. If they are abandoned the bill goes to the tax payer. Most people don’t want that either. Mason City needs to crack down on junk properties all over town. Not just in certain areas!
Spencer has far more holdings than what NIT is being told by Pat. Thats because he has several partners in multiple holding companies that buy out run down forclosures or purchase properties being offered on tax sales. Check with the County Treasurer, shes got the real scoop on this guy. Great investigative reporting but this is just the tip of the iceberg. Go get him NIT and turn up the heat.
This is great news! I don’t know about you but I support the city getting after Slumlords!
Seems that Spencer Stensrude is a swarmy sort.
He embellishes a lot on his “resume” and has had several questionable financial dealings.
And for a so called “credit analyst”, looks like he also has trouble paying his taxes.
Items 134 & 135 below:
https://www.iowatreasurers.org/kcfinder/upload/files/Winnebago/2015%20TAX%20SALE%20LIST%20PAPER%20READY%20MAY212015pdf.pdf
@Anonymous-I heard he defaulted on the $20 p/yr taxes on the 1316 N. Jefferson dump.
It seems like Mathes might be the same type of landlord. At least that is what I heard.
The name is Stensrud and he is related to Winnebago Supervisor Mike Stensrud.
correction – Winnebago County Supervisor
a distant relation
I’m sure he’s not the only landlord with properties Iike this. Anyone who has multiple properties for rent should be checked by the city inspector on a routine basis.
@Anonymous-I agree, but I believe the inspectors we have are so busy with people like this slum lord they do not have time to make timely inspections. They are pretty dedicated, busy people and do the best they can.
This is a on going problem today. Slum lords are ruining our city. They buy these places cheap and don’t care who the rent to or what they do in them. Most have drug deals going on every night and the trade stolen goods just like they were cash. If the home is condemed (which most are) they collect the insurance and move on to destroy the next home and neighborhood. The city inspectors do the best they can but are limited due process and the law. I can just imagine how frustrated they become. Good article on a real problem.