Elderly West Philly Resident' Saga with Eminent Domain

Carolyn Thomas, featured in the film All For The Taking, after which this blog was named, has been fighting a struggle that hasn't ended over two years after her home was seized through eminent domain.

The city has finally removed the $2,509.92 in back taxes andthe subsequent lienon Carolyn Thomas' new house (back taxes which were owed on the property before she was ever relocated to it), but she is still awaiting notice that the $9,075 demolition bill has also been removed (that's right, she was billed for the demolition of her own house which was seized through eminent domain).

Ms. Thomas is still trying to get the city of Philadelphia to rid their billing records of $2,509.96 in back taxes (as well as the $9,075 demolition bill for the destruction of her home on Hoopes St.) on a home that she was relocated to after the city took her childhood home through the process of emnient domain. The home in which Carolyn now resides is one of ten homes that were once owned by the city of Philadelphia and eventually weresold to low-income residentsby a neighborhood CDC.

It was about two months ago that other residents on Mrs. Thomas' block realized that they, too, were beingtold that theyowed the city money in back taxes. These back taxeswere never taken care of when the city sold/transferred (?) the properties as they should have been. As soon as the residents of the block began to organize, the city took notice and finally fixed the error.

Now Mrs. Thomas is waiting for a notice that shows the $9,075 demolition bill has also been taken off of her record. The bill is for the demolition ofher family home of 50 years, a home that Carolyn fought hard to keep. Mrs. Thomas knows thather newhouse is not safe from being taken until all of these bills are gone.