The lot at 610 Sherman St. S.E. on July 20, 2024: Preparing for construction.
Four years after the City of Albany condemned a house at 610 Sherman St. and then had it demolished, the still vacant lot has new owners and is being prepared for construction.
The lot is across Sherman Street from Hackleman Park. A bike ride took me past the address Saturday. That’s when I noticed that the lot was being cleared.
This week Kyle Patrick of Positive Electric obtained a city permit for supplying temporary power to the lot.
Linn County records show that T&N Investments LLC, of Albany, bought the lot from David Furry in May for $86,500. The principals in the limited liability company are Justin Tedrow and Tyler Norfleet. They list their business as real estate investments, new construction and rentals.
David Furry had bought his small house there in 1995 for $20,000. In subsequent years he was cited for a litany of code violations, and eventually the city declared the house unfit to be lived in. It was torn down in January 2020.
Furry watched his house being demolished on that January day. He was 60 at the time and told me he would now be homeless.
He and others moved back on the property to live in a collection of makeshift shelters. Someone planted a garden where the house had stood. Neighbors complained about the goings-on to the city council, which ordered the tents removed in September 2020.
The city took Furry to court to foreclose on liens it had placed on the property for the costs of enforcement actions. In court filings he charged his rights had been violated and asked that the suit be dismissed. But it went on.
When I found that the property had been sold, I checked with Albany City Attorney Sean Kidd for an update on the status of the court case.
“As part of an agreement with Mr. Furry, the City agreed to release the liens once the property was sold to a bona fide purchaser,” Kidd replied. “That happened about a month or two ago.”
This has been a long story and a sad one. Now, at 610 Sherman, a new chapter is about to begin. (hh)
I used to walk by that house with my dog every day. I always thought it was a cute little house, just needed some TLC. Loved the upstairs window. Then it was gone. Hopefully they don’t build the same bland duplexes I see popping up all over the neighborhood. What horrible, and probably overpriced, structures they are. They’ll probably be painted gray, too.
Agreed. Sad nobody, city included, could help this man out when he needed. Gentrification continues to lose our sense of self and uniqueness. Don’t you love it!
So this guy lost his home by doing the very same thing people donate money for the shelter and camp to do? Because the neighbors complained and the high number of enforcements he is now homeless. The shelter has consumed massive public resources which included illegal camping over the past 20+ years with businesses and surrounding area suffering without relief. Then the city added legal camping to the mix. Is anyone being fined or charged for enforcement actions? I looked it up the residents next to the shelter complained and informed the city council about the shelters illegal activities in 2005. The residents ended up moving. The businesses close by have complained as well. Maybe that area is due for a new chapter where the businesses and the surrounding community is allowed to be a productive part of Albany again.
I think it’s just more than Sad,l this was a man’s home.the city of Albany would rather have this man walking the streets! And homeless instead of operating him the programs that were out there to help him hell they could have helped him another statistic that’s what they want I don’t think any of them care about anybody anymore it’s all about the dollar what happened to people everybody used to help everybody You don’t see that anymore are you see is people turning their backs on each other I guess that’s American way now isn’t it we’re the same nobody has any morals I don’t see how people sleep at night. That poor man I wonder how he slept at night?
The shelters are all overfilled. Seldom any open spaces available for people in need. If you are not willing to bring a homeless person home with you, then please offer more support to the Helping Hands Homeless Shelter, Second Chance and the Oxford House. God bless the homeless, please pray for the hopeless. If not you, then who?
so how do we help a homeless person? i went to chance with a place to stay for a homeless person and they will have nothing to do with me, or my place for a person to stay. they refused to let me put a note on there message board. that is a 100% true fact. helping hands? same issue. they refused to let me talk to anyone. and/or put a message up anywhere anyone can see. i have also contacted 2 churches, one of those churches serves a weekly dinner. 100% true story i have here. someone please prove me wrong. so just how do i contact and somewhat screen a good homeless person other than hang out under the bridge? i am asking for a answer if someone has one.
if CHANCE can not control you, they will not help you.
Well David Furry housed tons of homeless people over the years. Then the city wanted to take that away??? Why ,so now that would make so much sense,not… The city should be ashamed,because David just recently passed about a week or so ago..
Yes, I think it’s wrong for you to put David’s happenings on blast. David was above and beyond an awesome person. He had a heart of gold, and over the years that he owned that property, he housed numerous people. He would allow homeless to come in his home, shower, get a bite to eat, and even sleep there for a night over the years. Then the city demolished his home. He died just recently, so thanks city of Albany, for all your wonderful empathy on people.
The city had to settle with Dave for unrightful tearing down his house. He could not disclose the terms of the settlement but I know he retained the deed to the property which he sold recently before he passed away. APD an the city of Albany are as much at fault for what went on at the house for years. RIP DAVE
is there anywhere in this town the homeless and a person with a home can connect with each other? local people w/ local people. a note board to post notes w/ email information. CHANCE refused to let me put a message on there message board for the 2nd time now offering a home for a homeless person. no way would i ever give a dime to a outfit like that. what a bunch of hypocrites CHANCE is!. i have a home for a homeless person and CHANCE will have nothing to do w/ me. they never even asked my name. i can not be the only person in this situation. so i ask all who reads this. what can we do to help the homeless other than give CHANCE donations to keep homeless people out of homes? thats a very fair question to want a answer to.
It’s very disheartening to not only know how true this comment rings true. It’s very sad to see how these shelters promote themselves to be so much more then they really are. And yes it’s also true that if you don’t conform to what they think you should be or if they if you start to be an ” issue ” because you know too much of their shortcomings they blacklist you. I know all to well about that when it comes to Helping Hands. I dug deep into the background of a past director and was give info that when taken to the board not only lost my position as kitchen manager but also got me kicked out and police escorting me off property but they tried to sweep it under the rug as if there was nothing wrong. Only for them to find out what i was saying was true.. and it’s because of this a lot of homeless are discouraged. Being judged or forced to be something else is exhausting. Living in survival mode all the time can really mess with a person