I went to court because I cannot please my neighbors. My roof is not as new as theirs. This has become a crime in Simi Valley. I was told by city council through their attorney, (in the court house hallway, and in the court room) if my house was sold, I would owe nothing. On Nov. 13, 2002, the city attorney, "asked" the judge for a continuance based on my home, closing by dec. 5. The judge said, I could only have one only if I pleaded guilty. Why would I ???? So the judge had a "trial".
Strangely enough Nancy Norris from code enforcement was there, when she previously had not been. My house should have closed before the first court date. The buyer was busy trying to change the papers all the time, so four hearings were contuined because of him. I signed the final papers a few days after it sold, I had done my part. I had no witness of actions at my so called appeal, before, with me. Nancy claimed "NO ONE came to the appeal with
me, no one". She lied on the stand, she said "she only said new owner
had to have a new roof".
I lost, no one was with me in court for this "trial", who had heard Code Enforcement say "my roof was fine, it was just old, and they just felt like making me get a new one, for my own good". One or the other of my two friends had attended the previous "court dates", in order to speak up if needed. First the judge let me question code Enforcement how I owed the money, but Code Enforcement "didn't know" according to the city council, he answered all questions for her. When I started to question the lawyer, we had a break, so the judge and lawyer could talk I am sure. When I tried to question the city council again, we had lunch.
We came back from lunch and I was told by the judge, "the only question was did I pay it, not did I owe it". I was found "guilty". How can this be in America, you can be found "criminally" guilty of owing money that never was proven you owed in any way in the first place. The city made these laws, themselves. They send you a regular letter to do as they say, with a vague citation number, that is it. If you appeal, the only appeal they allow is: do you live there, did you fix it, and it is heard by the people who sent the letter in the first place! I became a criminal for not complying, and I am fined, no hearing of any kind. Then they file in criminal court to fine you again.(For not paying a fine for not paying fines, for a roof I did not need to replace. Plus I had no job, no money, injured with a broken ankle still not healed right, and no way to get a loan.) I was ordered to pay $550. I said "I want to go to jail instead", they have that option. The judge said I must pay. "I said fine I will not and I will go to jail", to which he replied "eventually I will, he is sure I will go to jail". I have no respect for a court that does not care what are the facts, or allow evidence, none was accepted from me.
The buyer of my house had signed the final papers, at noon while we were on break from court. It was his house, escrow faxed it to me. The city and council all had promised me if I sold it, I would owe nothing. The judge said "it was not sold if I did not have the money yet". The city council refused to talk to me, said the judge was forcing me to pay, not him. The city refused to hold up their end of the promise to drop the case.
I cannot believe I sold my house, it closed that day, and the judge did not
care...... he did not allow me to enter into evidence proof it was sold, or that I should never have been fined to start with. Code enforcement knowing my house was sold, came at lunch to my house, and took telephoto pictures of my roof, to "prove it was even worse"...... The judge would not allow me to enter into evidence the fact the city attorney had "asked to have it postponed till escrow ends, or I lose it to the bank", at 4 different court hearings, including that very morning......... at that very court hearing. If I had pleaded guilty, then I would have owed it, how could I win!
"My house is nipped in the bud", direct quaote, according to Nancy, of Code enforcement, testimony... "before it becomes a problem", "before it leaks", this is legal? This whole thing was planned before hand, Nancy never showed up before at the court dates. I knew it, and said it before, they were waiting for me to be alone....... Both Beverly and Jessica, my friends, were present at the "code enforcement hearing", knew what they said at the so called " appeal hearing", but were unable to go to court with me that one day of Nov. 13, 2002...........I am poor, I did not fall under the criteria of a bad roof..... I had no money, they knew it.... I sold my home to be free of Code Enforcement........ I sold it only because they promised to drop all charges....... My crime is listed as an infraction, so no public defender, but I can go to jail for not paying. I gave away furniture, books, pets, hobbies, art, almost all my belongings, my plants, my life is gone, everything has to be out of this house. This is a big joke! Is this honest? Is this fair? Who regulates these people?
The very best part. Flavio bought my house $100,000 too cheap. He called the police on me, and then tried himself to physically push me out of the house immediately. I did not receive my money for over a month, for reasons of Flavio not cooperating, saying it was my problem to get the money.Remember the judge said it was NOT sold till I had the money. I left my house after 5 days of constant harassment, but no money. Code Enforcement came when he tore off the shingles. The wood on my roof was perfect, so he had to replace nothing, my shingles never leaked. Simple to see from my attic and garage at any point in this story. I have no home. I do not see any way possible I ever will again. How can a city act like this to a injured person, one who can read and understand th elaw. I knew it was not rotten, full of mold, rats or insects, but no one cared. It was simply I was an easy target, and the city cannot lose, since there are no rules....