Mountain Views News          Saturday, February 27, 2016

13

BUSINESS NEWS & TRENDS

 Mountain Views News Saturday, February 27, 2016 


FAMILY MATTERS By Marc Garlett


TOWN DEMOLISHES 
HOME WHILE OWNER 

IS IN HOSPITAL

 

Imagine this: your elderly uncle with no family 
near his home travels to Florida for surgery and 
has to stay there unexpectedly for a number of 
months. While he is away, his home is demolished 
by the city, including all of his possessions. 

 This just happened to a 69 year-old veteran and 
home owner in West Hemstead, New York. Due 
to medical complications with his surgery, he was 
unexpectedly gone for a number of months. 

 When he returned home, he found that his 
house had been torn down by the city. He had 
lived in the house since infancy and all of his 
possessions had become part of the rubble. 
Neighbors had complained about the condition 
of the house and claimed they thought that no 
one lived there.

 Owners of homes or other structures that have 
become dilapidated need to be aware of laws 
that permit municipalities to take action against 
them. Typically, towns and cities have building 
codes and standards which must be met, and 
they have inspectors with the authority to declare 
properties unfit for use.

 These cases start when the city declares an 
abandoned house or building structurally 
unsound and orders that it be demolished. The 
city will first look to the property owner to carry 
out the demolition, but if that does not happen, 
the city undertakes the task itself and then 
demands payment of demolition costs from the 
owner.

 While avoiding the destruction of someone’s 
home should be a goal of government officials 
charged with enforcement of building codes or 
urban renewal programs, that is obviously not 
always the case. It is up to each of us to care for 
our family members, especially those who are 
elderly and do not have close family nearby. One 
of the best ways you can do that is to ensure all of 
your senior family members have a relationship 
with a trusted advisor, such as a personal lawyer, 
to ensure that all of their assets are protected in 
the event of a long-term incapacity or illness. 

 We often become surrogate “members of the 
family” for our clients who do not have loved 
ones nearby. Please call us if we can support your 
family and help save you and your loved one’s the 
heartache of losing a home or other assets in this 
way. 

 Dedicated to your family’s wealth, health, and 
happiness,

A local attorney and father, Marc Garlett is on a 
mission to help parents protect what they love most. 
His office is located at 49 S. Baldwin Ave., Ste. G, 
Sierra Madre, CA 91024. Schedule an appointment 
to sit down and talk about ensuring a legacy of love 
and financial security for your family by calling 
626.587.3058 or visit www.GarlettLaw.com for more 
information.

HOW WILL YOU ‘REACT’ TO THIS 

Facebook has new reaction buttons! 

 Not only can you “Like” something, but now 
you can “Love,” “Laugh,” “Wow,” “Cry,” and “Get 
Angry” at a piece of 
content.

 To get the reaction 
buttons on your mobile 
device, you will need to 
update your Facebook 
app to the most recent version. Some people are 
finding they have to close the app and reopen for it 
to work. 

 On a desktop, you will just hover over the “Like” 
button and the new reaction choices will pop up. 
The top 3 reaction buttons will be shown under the 
post and you will be able to see how many people 
have used each reaction. People can change their 
mind too; they can change their Love to a Laugh if 
they want.

 Happy reacting!

 

 About MJ: MJ and 
her brother David own 
HUTdogs, a creative 
services and digital marketing business. “Like” 
them on Facebook for trending news in social 
media, internet marketing and other helpful tips, 
www.facebook.com/hutdogs.

Sign up for their upcoming workshops at: www.
hutdogs.com/workshops/schedule 


ARROYO CANYON 
WESTERN RIDING LESSONS 
at 
Encanto Equestrian Center 
3737 Encanto Parkway Duarte, CA. 
Youth—Adult 
Beginners through Intermediate 
Horsemanship 101 Classes 
Summer Camps 
For rates and availability please call Julie Unamuno at 
626-278-9450 or 
Email her at: arroyocanyonriders@gmail.com 
Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com