Judge awards Housing Authority seven abandoned Jefferson City properites

Over half a dozen boarded-up homes and empty lots were awarded to the Jefferson City Housing Authority in court Tuesday.

Cole Circuit Judge Patricia Joyce ordered Barbara Buescher to sell five abandoned houses and two lots on East Capitol Avenue, East State Street and Jackson Street.

This is the second eminent domain lawsuit that the JCHA has won against Buescher, who owns several abandoned properties in the neighborhood that city officials have plans to improve.

“It’s such a great thing to finally see action, because for many years, there was nothing,” said Steve Veile, CEO of Communique, located across from many of the homes involved in the lawsuit. “That’s big news. I think it’s fantastic news, actually.”

The JCHA has now been allowed to buy nine total properties from Buescher, seven homes and two lots. She still owns over a dozen other abandoned properties in the neighborhood and across the city.

At this time, the JCHA does not have plans to sue for additional properties, but it remains a possibility.

The first lawsuit involved only two homes, one of which was found to be in such bad condition that no one was allowed inside for a short period.

JCHA Executive Director Cynthia Quetsch said it’s possible the newly awarded properties are in similar condition, but they have yet to be evaluated.

“I really don’t know enough about the individual properties. All of them are boarded up,” Quetsch said. “It’s just a matter of if anyone has broken in… or done some damage before it got broken up. We don’t have any way of knowing.”

After the value of the homes are assessed by Condemnation Commissioners, who are assigned by the judge, the JCHA will pay the court, which will pay Buescher. Any outstanding tax payments will be factored into the payment.

Developers will be invited to tour the properties, and a competitive bid process will be used to decide who will purchase the abandoned homes. Quetsch​​​​​​​ said there are requirements for developers who opt to renovate the homes and that demolition is not preferred.

“We don’t want to demolish them. We want to restore them unless they have to be demolished,” Quetsch​​​​​​​ said.