Landlord Faces Property Problems

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Tenants angry over rentals
Posted: 5:32 PM Apr 10, 2008
Last Updated: 7:57 PM Apr 10, 2008

34 comments

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A judge will weigh-in on a local landlord's operations. The property is filled with alleged code violations.

Km Blackburn says a collapsed ceiling exposed a code violation cover-up and she blames the landlord.

"It really ticked me off because he wouldn't want to live in a house condemned," Kim says. "So why would he put us in a house condemned?"

Three months ago the Blackburns found the house listed on Craigslist more than a year after the city declared it unlivable.

The Blackburns say when they moved in, the backdoor was freshly painted and underneath they say you can find evidence of code violations that were covered up. Under the paint there appears to be a yellow danger sign posted by the city in 2006.

The landlord is Peter Grayson and he has been called on the carpet by city inspectors for renting out a house declared dangerous and unlivable.

Grayson says, "I thought everything was done. I had two plumbers out there."

Grayson says it was never his intention to put tenants into a condemned property but he now faces misdemeanors for three occupied homes that he allegedly failed to fix.

The Blackburns paid $500 a month for a house the city says is unsafe to live in even a day longer.

Allen Blackburn says, "I feel used and cheated out."

After moving, the Blackburns say they plan to sue the landlord.

City inspectors say Peter Grayson was cited for being past the deadline for repairs on three rental properties and for renting one that been declared unlivable.

If convicted of all the allegations, he could face up to three years in jail and a $4,500 fine.

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Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.

Posted by: christy coleman Location: omaha on May 1, 2008 at 01:36 PM
i live in a home also that got condemened and as a single mom trying to get a head and you think that you are doing good and that there are people out there who dnt care but would not live there thenselves. what ever happned to the golden rule! my son has cancer and i worked hard to get this hme on a land contract so my boys would always have there own home. my landlord might be good people not good care takers. now i lost a home because they did not wont to fix anything. i am going to lose alot of money. I am a single mom and work hard to show my boys this is how you need to be living. just like that its all taken away. so there is always two sides to everyone and when it comes dne to it no one wnts to pay for smethig that can be taken away and theres nothing you can do.

Posted by: Lori Location: Central Omaha on Apr 19, 2008 at 09:35 PM
I know Peter Grayson personally and to know him is to know he is admirable and of good moral character. He is a hardworker and takes care of his tenants and properties. He is not a slumlord and to portray him as such is deceitful. I hope Mike mcknight can follow up on his report with the other side of the story. See how many long hours and care that he puts into his properties.

Posted by: nlm Location: omaha on Apr 18, 2008 at 12:03 PM
if this does not concern you than stay out of this. i have rented from him for 3years and if there was something wrong he fixed it fast. he is just trying to make a living for himself and kids so back off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: anonymous Location: omaha on Apr 18, 2008 at 04:40 AM
To Tim Main: If you are the one making repairs on his houses, then how come there not up to code?

Posted by: Tim Main Location: omaha on Apr 16, 2008 at 12:35 PM
I have been a freind and a tenat of Peter Grayson for 10 year -. My childre love him he is a great landlord that has been furnishing my family and freinds with affordable homes, helping alot of people while they are in his houses when they have problems with money. I mean come on what landlord will let you slide when you have a medical issue uh none but he understands. I personally worked on his house and would live there my sister almost did. So for him to be put thruogh this nonsense is really unfair. Dont worry Pete im in your corner.

Posted by: Carla Location: Omaha on Apr 15, 2008 at 09:52 AM
I know Peter Grayson personally and disbelieve he would maliciously overlook such a situation. Every time I speak with him, he always on his way to work on a house. He is not a slum lord as some have claimed in this chain. He works very hard to maintain his properties while also working a full-time job. Every evening and weekend he has is spent on his houses. I understand the mentality of renters jumping to accuse landlords, and in many cases rightly so. But if you knew Peter the way I do, you would agree he does not fit the "Bad Guy" bill. I believe he did send out the plumber and trusted in him to do the job he was hired to do. As for the other claims, will need to see how it plays out. I do know that Peter's intentions are pure and his houses take every minute he has. The maliciousness of some of the claims below are unfounded. Let him be tried in court as you would also want a fair trial. Whatever happened to the presumption of innocence?

Posted by: Robert Location: Omaha on Apr 14, 2008 at 04:15 PM
Go after the large scale Slum Lords also. AS/ie: Wentworth USA. Leaky roofs, roaches, Crime. Management fraud issues, etc. This is only one case of how many renters really get the short end of the stick.

Posted by: Anonymous on Apr 14, 2008 at 11:28 AM
By the way every one this was not the only have he had comdened. He had 5 other that were comdened and renter had to move. Get with it people. Oh and to tim and terry your his best friends get real!!!

Posted by: Anonymous on Apr 13, 2008 at 12:47 PM
To the one singing Mr. Grayson's praises... How much did he pay you, or knock off of your rent to post that? Slum Lords should have all their property taken away, and should be forced to live in one of the sites for 10 years. And bared from ever renting a house/apt. ever again.

Posted by: jeff Location: omaha on Apr 13, 2008 at 10:40 AM
To the tenant of 4 years-Does the saying-"Some people arent whom they might seem" sound familiar?

Posted by: Tenant of 4 years Location: North Omaha on Apr 12, 2008 at 10:11 AM
I am a current tenant of Mr Grayson's. I have been for the past 4 years and have been really satisified with Mr. Grayson. I do have to say that I experienced an issue also, my fridge went out but he replaced it the same day. He has been a very responsible landlord. I pray to God that the truth comes out and shows this of Mr Grayson. I dont know the truth about the Blackburn's but find it hard to believe with such a sweet guy as Mr Grayson. We need more responsible people such as him in this world. We get what we pay for and the Blackburns are now complaining but werent when they lived there. I am sure the truth will come out and hope that the media -- including WOWT -- follows this case and updates everyone once Mr Grayson is found not liable for these acqusations.

Posted by: Concerned Location: Omaha on Apr 11, 2008 at 10:31 PM
Frank why don't you live in that house, and how do you know what they paid for rent and if they were behind or not? Are you the landlord? You are very naive if you think a house is condemned just for a plumbing issue! Have you seen this house? You know, people want a decent home to live in that they can afford, and some are even willing to live in house that needs some TLC, but not a home where the ceiling and walls are falling in. Free rent? Not in that house, actually the landlord should have paid them to live there instead of charging them rent on a house that is not even fit for a dog to live in. But you are talking about one house, what about his other houses that are also condemned? Wake up, Omaha is notorious for slumlords and it needs to stop. Hopefully the house will put on the demolition list so that no one else has to go through this.

Posted by: Anonymous on Apr 11, 2008 at 05:39 PM
TIM YOU REALLY NEED TO CHILL. YOU KNOW IF IT WAS YOU THEN YOU WOULD DO THE SAME THING. UNLESS YOU ARE ONE OF THE NO GOOD LANDLORDS OUT HERE.

Posted by: Sara on Apr 11, 2008 at 04:28 PM
Hi, I know the Blackburn very close, she and him work full time jobs. They pay 480 a month. The people renting next door and the code person kicked someone out 2 weeks before they moved in. Their rent is upto date and they are very responible people. They loved the home and they window are roof did not fall in until the last day they lived their. Thanks

Posted by: Kimberly Blacknurn Location: Midtown on Apr 11, 2008 at 04:22 PM
Are landlord cover up everything. The roof fell in the day the news crew came out. It fell in do to th rain. Thier was new paint and dry wall to cover up everything. After two months of trying getting someone out the to look at the home, at code inspector name Kevin came to us and told us the bad news. If we wanted free rent we would of moved out a long time ago. We are newly weds and it was are first home. Bad luck I guess.We are moving and will pay for rent!!!

Posted by: LSB on Apr 11, 2008 at 01:26 PM
While it may be true the renters were deadbeats that does not make the fact that the landlord rented out a home he knew was not up to code.

Posted by: concerned Location: omaha on Apr 11, 2008 at 12:10 PM
look at douglas county web assessor web page this guy has several properties maybe someone should look into all these properties this is terrible he should live there if he thinks it is so great

Posted by: Anonymous on Apr 11, 2008 at 12:05 PM
APRIL IS FAIR HOUSING MONTH

Posted by: Oh really? Location: Local on Apr 11, 2008 at 10:33 AM
Those of you siding with the landlord claim the tenants wanted free rent, but what about your pal trying to get money for a home that isn’t livable. He hired a knock off plumber to do the work, not his fault right? The painters were clearly not professional if they didn’t bother to remove the danger sign before painting, still not his fault! I think these people wanted a safe home to live in. You do realize this home was considered unlivable. He wasn’t doing his family member a favor by allowing him to occupy the home. He was using this person as some sort of guinea pig. I guess he figured if the walls didn’t cave in on him he would con another family into renting it. He should be grateful no one became ill or hurt by living in such conditions.

Posted by: Person Location: omaha on Apr 11, 2008 at 10:10 AM
re: Terry You should move in that house and see how you like it. The landlord lied to them and the house wasn't done right. He should be fined and all three of his houses taken away and he can't rent out anymore houses to anyone. And for you to think that they just want to live there for free is just rude and Like i said you move into a house that you thought was safe and then your ceiling falls down and everything else that is wrong with that house. I bet you won't do it. You're very cruel for saying that

Posted by: Amanda on Apr 11, 2008 at 10:01 AM
Some people are just rude. The landlord covered up what they did to the house. So he should be the one to pay for it. Thats not right SOME people to think they just want FREE rent, and if you think that you live in that house and see how you like it. I bet you wouldn't!!!!!!!

Posted by: Terry Location: Omaha on Apr 11, 2008 at 09:15 AM
The landlord shouldnt be locked up. You get what you pay for. If the ceilings really were falling these people couldn't see that before they moved in. They just don't want to pay their rent. Move down to the shelters if you want free rent.

Posted by: John Location: Omaha on Apr 11, 2008 at 09:15 AM
Another slumlord. This is his type of crime and he needs to be held accountable.Frank, this shouldnt ever even happen ONCE!

Posted by: Amanda Location: Omaha on Apr 11, 2008 at 08:58 AM
What the landlord did was wrong! He should of looked at the work before he rented those houses to people. It is all his fault. No one would want to live like that. I know I wouldn't live like that and I would say something to the law.

Posted by: dude Location: omaha on Apr 11, 2008 at 02:21 AM
does this slumlord actually look at the house before renting it? I could see maybe one house, but three. I understand its a rental house, but at least make it livable. and also, didn't the renters go through the house before moving in. I rent, but I always check the house out before moving. I know its hard to find a house in the your price range, but take your time and you will find it.

Posted by: Frank Location: Omaha on Apr 10, 2008 at 10:52 PM
Why crack down on landlords who try to work with tenants. The tenant lived there for two months and was already over a month behind on rent, they want a place to live but didn't want to pay $400 (not $500) a month for it... Only after the landlord provided the tenant with an option to get back on track or find other living arrangements did there become an issue with the city for a overdue plumbing vent code violation of which a plumber was hired to ensure the house was up to code. The video looked like the tenant did some quick damage to a window and ceiling. By the way, I personally know the landlord and like him I have had some great long term tenants, and others who wouldn't pay rent even one who got away with nearly burning a house down. One last note, a family member did live in the house for about a year after the house was repaired.

Posted by: Jamie Location: omaha on Apr 10, 2008 at 10:52 PM
I lived in one of his rentals on 38th burdette for less than a year. In that the house, the walls were not very stable, all of the plumbing was cruhed under the house, and there was all the wrong plumbing pipes used according to a licensed plummer mr. grayson hired. But what do you expect when one of his tennants at the time was doing repairs to pay off his overdue past rent.

Posted by: Tim M on Apr 10, 2008 at 10:18 PM
Not sure why they are suing for the rent they paid. They would have had to pay rent if they were living somewhere else all that time. Just because they discover it had violations, they don't have to pay rent at all? I'm sorry. I get tired of people trying the legal system like a slot machine.

Posted by: JRTM Location: Bellevue on Apr 10, 2008 at 09:44 PM
It never would have occurred to me to look up code violations in a house I was interested in renting.

Posted by: pete Location: omaha on Apr 10, 2008 at 07:52 PM
Lock this piece of trash up..or better yer..have him live in the place for a year..What is wrong with these worthless people?

Posted by: Mary O. Location: Omaha on Apr 10, 2008 at 07:35 PM
Nice. It might be a good idea, next time, to remove the "Danger" sign before painting. And there will be a next time.

Posted by: John Location: Omaha on Apr 10, 2008 at 06:07 PM
One thing that people can do to protect themselves is to go down to the city and check for code violations. It only takes a few minutes to do.

Posted by: Serg Location: Omaha on Apr 10, 2008 at 06:05 PM
The landlord should be locked up for a longtime.