

How fast does an abandoned house deteriorate in Flint? I posted the photo below this June. I took the two photos above three days ago.

Thanks for commenting. I moderate comments, so it may take a while for your comment to appear. You might enjoy my book about Flint called "Teardown: Memoir of a Vanishing City," a Michigan Notable Book for 2014 and a finalist for the 33rd Annual Northern California Book Award for Creative NonFiction. Filmmaker Michael Moore described Teardown as "a brilliant chronicle of the Mad Maxization of a once-great American city." More information about Teardown is available at www.teardownbook.com.
This was once the home of a buddy that I use to walk to Emerson/Northern back in the late 60s & early 70s. He went to Northern... seem to remember their last name was Benson, maybe? Anyway, their home was always good looking; one of the best on the block. Sad to see now, but not uncommon I'm sure.
ReplyDeleteYes, Bobby Benson, I was a patrol boy on that corner 1966
DeleteI knew a girl named Lisa Parrish who lived there in the late 80's.
ReplyDeleteMy ex-brother in law lived there from the mid 70's through recently.
ReplyDeleteThe green siding looks way better than the white siding...
ReplyDeleteIt's a pity that vinyl siding has scrap value. Is recyclability of house siding really such a good thing?
ReplyDeleteIt's sad that our state and local governmental "leaders" are such ignoramuses that they don't see the foolishness of allowing scrapyard scumbags to pay people for scrap material without verified documentation of ownership of the property from which it came.
Ditto of course for pawnshop owners, Craigslist, Ebay, etc., who shrug their shoulders and look the other way when likely-stolen items are offered.
They're all just criminals-once-removed, participating in the destruction of their community and not caring.
Unbelievable!
ReplyDeleteGreat follow-up, Gordon.
Houses are like people in their need for care.
I am more then sure the siding was aluminum. Worth much more then vinyl. Copper pipes too.
ReplyDeletemy name is lisa parish and my family lived in this home from 1972 till recently. my parents did not abandon this house. they lost it to the city due to back taxes after my father passed away.the city of flint and the land bank are responsible for this mess as they are for most of the homes in the area.without industry to create jobs people loose their homes its a harsh fact that michigan has faced for years thats why i had to leave the state to survive. people in michigan need to figure something out and fast.
ReplyDeletedue to cancer and heart surgery the parish family gave this house to someone they only had to pay two years of taxes but instead they let the landbank have it and this is the result of the miss management of the landbank and their lack of care for the city and county its not the people who at one time owned these places this is carol parish the prvious owner from 72 until 2008
ReplyDeleteThanks to Lisa and the Parish family for commenting on this house, which I remember well growing up on Bassett Place. It was always a nice place and it can't be easy to see it in its present state. Its hard to reconcile the happy memories of better times with much of Flint these days. Here's hoping there are better times ahead for Civic Park.
ReplyDeleteLisa and Carol, I am sorry to hear this. I had no idea Earl passed away. This is Butch.
ReplyDelete