The Rezko-Obama Payoff: The Property

I had thought Rezko merely sold Obama a strip of an adjoining lot at a cheap price.

Not at all. Rezko bought the entirety of the adjoining lot to allow Obama to have it free -- or, let us say, not free but no money changed hands -- and Obama simply bought a piece of it to disguise the sham nature of the deal. As MyDD points out (four words I have never written in succession before), it's clear from the pictures that the whole of "Rezko's adjacent lot" was indeed simply given to Obama, in all but title, and meant for Barack and Michelle's use.

That lot's worth over $600,000. Given to Obama -- everything except the legal title at least -- for nothing.

Or, again: for no cash, anyway.

Check it out, and watch the Lisa Myers piece on it.

Thankd to David.

Posted by: Ace at 12:24 AM

Comments

1 Obama only pretended to go along with Rezko's scheme. You see, Obama is a super-secret undercover spy agent dude for the FBI, the CIA, the NSA, and some other things that are so secret even Obama doesn't what they are.

Actually Obama does know what they are, but he ain't tellin' you cuz it's a secret.

Posted by: eman at March 08, 2008 12:39 AM (0AZ4a)

2 Oh, that'll leave a mark. When MyDD gets after you, you are officially no longer a member of The First Church of Our Sista the Perpetually Aggrieved. You are cast out. A heretic, if you will. Unclean, no matter what Joe Biden might say.

Posted by: Sort-of-Mad Max at March 08, 2008 12:42 AM (kKgTD)

3 When Obama closes his eyes and drifts off to sleep he hears a strangle and disturbing cackle that seems to drift in on a breeze and make him feel like he just stepped on a snake.

Posted by: eman at March 08, 2008 12:47 AM (0AZ4a)

4 #2: maybe so, but wait until Kos, Townhouse, and Olbermann go after you. Then, and only then, do you become a heretic.

But it is nice to see the cracks in the facade.

Posted by: eddiebear at March 08, 2008 12:47 AM (HWgAV)

I don't care because he is for change.

oh and hope

go ahead and try to find another candidate willing to stand for both change and hope

You can't do it so you come up with the crazy ideas about Obama excepting money and favors from criminals. Why can't you just except that he is super duper and that he just foud 55 million dollars last month from his down and out Republican oppressed constituants.

Posted by: Obama fan at March 08, 2008 12:49 AM (/PNCo)

6 The video is down at MyDD. That was pretty damn quick. Too bad Hillary! can't use this (what, a Clinton involved in shady land deals?). What is it with DemonRats that they can't pay for their own home? It just shows what they think of property and ownership. Fucking bastards. Can we deport them all now? Even the citizens?

Posted by: Don Carne at March 08, 2008 12:49 AM (wSNS7)

7 I read MyDD daily, along with a dozen other lib blogs, just to see what the oppo is up to. I find that hes dead partisan, and bit obsessed with useless arcana like some pissant Congressional race poll 8 months out (I only incidentally happen to know what downticket races I;m voting for, Id guess the average voter is about the same) but I dont find MyDD demagoguic nor strident nor asininely snide while at the same time ignorant and unread, say like Atrios. The MyDD guys do some pretty in depth work, even if most of it is feel-good make-work trivia that will have zero bearing on the races, hey, at least they are consciencious and earnest about what they do, even though most of it is incredibly wrong-headed..

Posted by: docweasel at March 08, 2008 12:54 AM (aj6WF)

8 so docweasal, if I understand you correctly, you are saying that they um suck

Posted by: ntac at March 08, 2008 12:58 AM (/PNCo)

9 Reading the comments at MyDD for this article is a hoot. Pretty much equally divided between 'Your just a Clintonista and you suck!11!', 'Everybody does it, Saint Obama has forgiven himself, it's just the rethuglican noise machine BushCHENEYHALLIBURTONABUGRAIBASSTAISTIC!!!!', and a reassuring minority saying, 'Geez, this looks bad, maybe the guy is no saint after all'. That last bunch better start having their wives start the Prius and taste their lattes, because they have started to doubt.......................

Posted by: Sort-of-Mad Max at March 08, 2008 01:03 AM (kKgTD)

10 9: how long before their accounts get flamed at MyDD?

Posted by: eddiebear at March 08, 2008 01:08 AM (HWgAV)

11 It is strange. I don't think I've ever seen the democrats break conformity. They're usually so lockstep and concerned solely with beating the evil rethuglicans and neojoos.

Posted by: runninrebel at March 08, 2008 01:18 AM (o/KrO)

12 Well, I seem to remember a little bit of division in 2000 between Bill Bradley and Al Gore supporters. But that's it.

Posted by: runninrebel at March 08, 2008 01:20 AM (o/KrO)

I think that we will see that this $925,000 property deal between Rezko and Obama is not the only payoff.

Rezko has apparently found jobs in various Illinois civil agencies for (former?) Obama staffers. It's nice to have continued suitable gainful employment for loyal staffers.

But more important is the cash that�s flowed through Rezko�s hands; this TimesOnline article mentions several amounts, totaling around $21 million, yet Rezko seems to be bankrupt.

I wonder what the Rezko trial will reveal.

How much influence and how many political favors is a $925,000 (essentially financially un-payable) debt worth?

Posted by: Arbalest at March 08, 2008 01:43 AM (64uSw)

14 Obama-Maud'Dib is for hope and change!!! Ok, so this deal is a little fishy, but so what. Vote for Obama-Maud'Dib because the spice must flow!!!

Posted by: Gen.William Tecumseh Sherman at March 08, 2008 01:57 AM (blNMI)

15 no ntac, I'm saying just what I wrote: they may be pedantic and prone to niggling useless little details of minor elections, but they are not, by and large, offensively demagoguic, strident or asinine and snide, just like I said above.

Learn to fucking read.

Posted by: docweasel at March 08, 2008 01:58 AM (aj6WF)

http://www.dailynews.com/breakingnews/ci_8482917

The very definition of an activist judge abusing her power.

Posted by: epobirs at March 08, 2008 02:09 AM (xTQib)

17 Well, I can't find the Lisa Myers piece even over at MSNBC.com, but how anyone could be stupid enough to enter into any sort of deal with a guy named "Tony Rezko" in Chicago.... I mean, jeez, hasn't he watched ANY movies????

But I did find out that Rolling Stone is endorsing Obama, and I think I detected that they lightened his skin and added a few deep wrinkles to make him look wiser and more distinguished:

Judge for yourself.

Posted by: notropis at March 08, 2008 02:14 AM (hwVnY)

18 That video is .. damning

Posted by: Ragnell at March 08, 2008 02:18 AM (xQaCP)

"The video is down at MyDD. That was pretty damn quick. Too bad Hillary"

It's back up, but the link takes you to the msnbc recent news videos page and then you have to search for it.

Posted by: Ragnell at March 08, 2008 02:24 AM (xQaCP)

20 Ok, now I found it. Don't know how I missed it before:

Who the hell would pay more than half a million dollars for a side yard to a mansion, with no improvements, no toilets, no street access, and the permanent risk of fainting, every time you're playing on your little plot of grass and your neighbor happens to step out the door of his house?

And now, poor Michelle has one more thing to worry about; as if her life weren't trying enough already. I just don't know how she bears up. She's a marvel, she is.

Posted by: notropis at March 08, 2008 02:35 AM (hwVnY)

21 The very definition of an activist judge abusing her power.
Posted by: epobirs at March 08, 2008 02:09 AM (xTQib)

Yep, nice post by DRJ with interesting discussion over at Patterico's.

Posted by: Stashiu3 at March 08, 2008 02:58 AM (Q5ggV)

22 Just a few thoughts about this.

I don't know what the original owner had, a single lot which he subdivided to sell to Obama and Rezko or two separate lots. It doesn't make much difference except that if it was originally two lots, then the vacant lot was most likely a legitimate parcel, code-wise and simplifies consideration at conception. Stick with me here.

Obama bought the parcel with the house and Rezko bought the vacant lot. I'm not awfully surprised at the price of the lot; depending on the neighborhood a vacant lot can be quite expensive if it is buildable, which I presume it was or else there is a 99.45% chance it wouldn't be a legal lot size.

That's where I wonder about the fact, as I understand it, that Rezko turned around and sold a piece of the vacant lot to Obama. The history is usually easy to check at the municipal maps and surveys office/dept/bureau/division/whatever. The question in my mind is: Is the remaining parcel of the vacant lot still buildable now that Rezko subdivided it to sell a portion to Obama.

The buildable aspect is important for the city. If a lot is not buildable, in other words if the lot is not of the minimum size per the code to be able to build a house, the city eventually gets to own it because nobody wants to pay property taxes on lots that are useless to them. That means people don't want to buy them either. That means people quit paying taxes on them and the city takes them for back taxes. But then the city can't sell them because no one will buy them. SOOO, the city doesn't allow lot sizes that that by code are unbuildable.

However, if, in a hypothetical circumstance, the city did have to take over an unbuildable lot, they would try to sell it to the owner of the lot next door for as much as they can get, which is usually the back taxes and some overhead costs. I'd say they might auction it, and maybe they would, but who would show up besides the adjacent lot owner.

All this is not to say the city doesn't make mistakes and actually forget the lot size requirement when allowing a lot resubdivision. Some, like the one in question, might be done administratively, meaning you take a tax map, draw a line on it, dimension it and submit it. Often the owner can do it.

I can't tell from the video whether the lot is of buildable size. The lot looks narrow but the houses to the other side of Obama's are pretty close together. It would be darn close. On the other hand, these ancient lots were subdivided out pretty uniformly and outsized parcels were usually made up by two lots put together. Obama's looks like that particularly because his house in pushed to one side of the property. I wouldn't be surprised if the very first buyer bought the second lot in from the corner had the house built and somewhere in the process decided he didn't want a neighbor at the corner so bought that lot, too.

In any event, I think the odds are quite low that there is any leeway in selling side parcels of existing lots and and keeping them of legal size. It's really easy to check. I wonder if anyone has?

Posted by: Dusty at March 08, 2008 04:46 AM (GJLeQ)

23 The video is even down at MSNBC's site now. Anybody know where else to find it?

Posted by: Sean M. at March 08, 2008 05:10 AM (0U2lo)

24 Clearly Rezko did a favor for Obama. Otherwise the Obama family would be living somewhere else, somewhere not as expensive. Maybe Rezko did another favor for Obama in facilitating employment opportunities for some of Obama's campaign staff. Did Rezko get any favors in return? Was he hoping for future favors from a U.S. Senator? Or is Rezko just a really good guy, a really good friend?

If Obama was accepting favors from Rezko, who else in Chicago was he accepting favors from? Who was Obama doing favors for? Will the Clinton PIs be able to find enough answers to keep Obama from becoming the Democratic Party nominee for President? This is going to be fun to watch.

I was able to watch the MSNBC video at mydd a little while ago.

Posted by: klrtz1 at March 08, 2008 06:51 AM (Y+AeB)

25 We all want to remain "proud" of America, and like Michelle said, we can remain proud of America if we can get equal treatment around here. Like, say Hussein Obama and Miss Michelle give the entire Ace of Spades Community the exact same deal that Tony Rezko gave Hussein Obama and Miss Michelle. At that point, we could afford to look the other way. (With the possible exception of LauraW who might still be out a few bucks for the removal of her hump!)

Posted by: RWB at March 08, 2008 07:28 AM (o6EcA)

26 There's also a Syrian in the woodpile. Helping this Syrian is Obama's quo for Rezko's quid. Or something.

Posted by: ricpic at March 08, 2008 07:43 AM (o03rx)

27 Proud of America. That's like saying your proud of motherhood. Or apple pie. Or Chevrolet.

Posted by: ricpic at March 08, 2008 07:46 AM (o03rx)

28 That fuckin' Hyde Park is where the University of Chicago is. Every hairy armpit chick that's not in Madison is there. It's sandwiched in between the Oakland/Kenwood area that in the day was the worst of this city and Woodlawn...right there in funk too. If it wasn't for that college it'd be just another ghetto.

Posted by: Mike in Chicago at March 08, 2008 08:20 AM (/L1AV)

29 can't get the video anymore. What a shock.

Posted by: Mike in Chicago at March 08, 2008 08:24 AM (/L1AV)

30 Why would Rezko have to sell it to him? If Obama was maintaining it for a period of time, he could take it in an adverse possession. Rezko doesn't contest it, so win-win.

Posted by: mikey at March 08, 2008 08:30 AM (moR1g)

31 video down again, due to "use restrictions" WTF Hillary wants to use it?

Posted by: kempermanx at March 08, 2008 08:43 AM (iLWmI)

32 OK so finally I get a look at this mysterious lot that you supposedly can only access through Obama's property and its a corner lot? I must be missing something. Yes, I see the fence and the shrubs, but if that lot belonged to me and people were saying I had to go through Obama's gate to get at my property then that fence would be comin' down or a new gate would be goin' up.

I've seen restricted access property before and this isn't what it looks like. For example, my veterinarian has a lot behind his office that is literally isolated by private property on all sides.

So I'm even more baffled by this nonsense. That lot clearly doesn't have to be considered part of the adjacent property with the home on it. Unless there's some local rule or restriction that forces it to be anyway - something that prevents that fence from coming down.

This whole deal stinks to high heaven, and as an added extra bonus check out Rezko in that piece - what, the guy's trying to look like Al Capone? That deal reeks.

Posted by: UberBlick at March 08, 2008 08:50 AM (r3uIa)

33 Oh.

Bigger garden my aching ass. Liar.

Posted by: UberBlick at March 08, 2008 08:54 AM (r3uIa)

34 Dusty, I've been trying, unsuccessfully, for 7 years to buy the unbuildable lot next to me. It is currently a swamp with misquitoes and the local grass/leaf dump. It was originally on the development plan as a park. But, the developer(in 1963), simply used it as a dump and bulldozed huge rocks into it. The borough say they can't sell it because it is deeded as a park, and they cannot sell it. And no, they won't be liable for "their" trees that fall into my yard(?). So, I'm putting my new driveway through it and clearing it. I'm tresspassing on borough property, but maybe if I get away with it long enough I can claim "squatters rights". It is what everybody does with a vacant lot next to them. It may be a power right of way etc...Slowly cut trees, grade it off, and plant grass. No, you don't own it, but you mainatain it. Thereby improving your lot with no added tax burden. Of course some yahoo can com along and make it a crack house.....Or you can have a buddy pay hundreds of K's on it and get the same results!! Obama got a million dollar guarantee that he wil never have a white trash, low rent neighbor.

Posted by: hutch1200 at March 08, 2008 08:59 AM (5pwQW)

35 BTW..yes I have to pick up beer cans occasionally. Hey, I drank there as a kid!!. I make get busted for "tresspass landscaping", cease and desist etc....but I'm not even running for dog catcher. I can plead to excess mowing, trimming, not RICO shit.

Posted by: hutch1200 at March 08, 2008 09:06 AM (5pwQW)

36 All this is not to say the city doesn't make mistakes and actually forget the lot size requirement when allowing a lot resubdivision. Some, like the one in question, might be done administratively, meaning you take a tax map, draw a line on it, dimension it and submit it. Often the owner can do it.

In my state any change of a property line requires a subdivision plan prepared by a licensed surveyor. I don't know the rules for Illinois, but a peek at the subdivision plan for this property transfer would be interesting. Not only is there the question of creating a lot that unbuildable because it's too small, but also creating a landlocked parcel. The city and county reviewers won't allow either. Though the lot may not technically be landlocked, since it fronts on two streets, it is still inaccessable. Most municipalities won't allow the creation of a lot that cannot be directly accessed by emergency services.

There's nothing illegal about buying an adjacent lot and selling a strip of it to your neighbor. In this case, however, it looks like some zoning laws were probably broken.

Posted by: Tinian at March 08, 2008 09:32 AM (1Mq7K)

37 Uberlick, somebodies deed contains a "right of way" provision. The fact that somebody put a gate up may be irrelevent. My parents sold 10 land locked acres on a farm 30 years ago with a "30' right of way, of undetermined placement". IOW, whereever the fuck we want it to be. Through a swamp, or up a cliff. These people vanished and divorced, but somebody is paying the taxes. We have gatted the logging road to prevent dumping, but if these old hippies ever show up to build their commune, we will indeed have to provide egress. Now shut the fuck up, you're late for your co-op board, dork mixer!

Posted by: hutch1200 at March 08, 2008 09:33 AM (5pwQW)

38 Dusty, in response to your comment:

Some ChiTown real estate lawyer wrote Hewitt and said the property records for the Rezko/Obama properties were "unavailable."

See <a href="http://hughhewitt.townhall.com/blog/g/f9fe1d2e-0c06-4fc7-a883-05939589acfa">here</a>.

Posted by: Laddy at March 08, 2008 09:36 AM (4ehH+)

39 Uber, just kidding! You've obviously done your due diligence here. Sorry, the moron is coming out with the Java overload . And I haven't showered off the sweet stench of dead hobo yet. That or Lauraw is sleeping under my bed again.

Posted by: hutch1200 at March 08, 2008 09:37 AM (5pwQW)

40 hutch1200:

It's most likely you can't claim adverse possession against your borough. Property laws vary from state to state, but governments are usually immune to such claims. Use it and enjoy it until someone tells you to stop.

Posted by: Tinian at March 08, 2008 09:37 AM (1Mq7K)

True Tinian. I've had the Pa. DEP document the misquitoe tests, proved drainage issues etc...nada. But we are a commonwealth. All of my neighbors who I plow for and mow for would love to see me get it legally, and none would bitch. But I don't need the new DONK council busting my ass. Slow encroachment is my plan. Thanks for the FYI. Now, if only I could find a slacker lawyer, who would work for Valu-Rite-Vadka(tm) I'd be set!

Posted by: hutch1200 at March 08, 2008 09:46 AM (5pwQW)

Obama, the ethical champion of all hope, bought with funds channeled through an indicted corrupt best friend Rezko at half price the Chicago mansion, and the vacant lot attached with no access to the road other than through the property already purchased at half price.

This is the same Obama/Rezko ethical union that raped the HUD and Altgeld residents into submission to live without any standards beyond filth, poison and ramshakled housing.

This is the change for the worse that Obama would have America hope to elect. Just look at what BHO has actually done to Americans at every opportunity and judge his vanguard of ethics.

Obama would lead the nation down the primrose path to Altgeld, that name itself an irony 'cause thems thats got ain't givin' to thems thats not. As a child I shuddered at Menotti's The Consul, reassured by parents telling me that mean government could never happen to Americans. Obama and Hillary would plague our population with socialized medicine hacks, quacks and disgruntled workers dealing with long, long waiting lines and prescriptions according to deals with marketing salesmen. I hear today's young voter rationalize that the tax would be well worth having an investment for old age--I heared the same thing in grade school when Social Security was being touted to be kept in a safebox where no one could touch it until retirement so that we could all live happily ever after.

Posted by: maverick muse at March 08, 2008 09:50 AM (LYKFp)

43 Para-Military Militias for Hillary/Obama '08.....Hey, You're Gonna Need Us!

Posted by: hutch1200 at March 08, 2008 09:56 AM (5pwQW)

*sigh* Once again our Savior has to face the hatred and small-minded criticism of you people stuck in the old, failed politics of hate.

Rezko was only doing what we all should be doing: rendering unto Obama that which belongs to him, at a significant discount from worldly prices.

No wonder Michelle is bummed about this country. Mean people suck!

Posted by: Spartan Fan at March 08, 2008 09:57 AM (RP451)

45 "No Denver Convention War for Vacant Lots!"

Posted by: hutch1200 at March 08, 2008 09:57 AM (5pwQW)

46 DocWeasel is back with his tongue stuck up Obama's ass.

Posted by: Rogue Elephant at March 08, 2008 10:00 AM (q+HK/)

47 Who is buried in that vacant lot? At least THEY got burried.

Posted by: Vinny Foster at March 08, 2008 10:00 AM (5pwQW)

48 Some ChiTown real estate lawyer wrote Hewitt and said the property records for the Rezko/Obama properties were "unavailable."

That pretty much confirms something is illegal about the transfer.

Posted by: Tinian at March 08, 2008 10:07 AM (1Mq7K)

49 This all part of Obama's Plan. Obama is making it look like he is a cheap crook and a total phony so Obama can infiltrate the nest of the real cheap crooks and phonies so Obama can Obamatize them with Hope and Change.

Posted by: eman at March 08, 2008 10:27 AM (0AZ4a)

50 hutch1200 - no problem.

I just don't understand the contention that that piece of property can "only" be accessed through Obama's property. Its on the fucking corner FGS. Yes, there's a fence, but that fence is on the property so it belongs to whoever owns that property.

Or at least it would here in Texas.

So if it were me and that was an issue for my corner lot that fence would come down like yesterday. That property is not land-locked. Its fence-locked and the fence is part of the property.

Posted by: UberBlick at March 08, 2008 10:36 AM (r3uIa)

51 Quid pro quo on a piece of property - isn't that what landed Cunningham behind bars?

Posted by: rhodeymark at March 08, 2008 10:51 AM (ToBws)

52 UberBlick:

Like hutch1200, I live in PA and here the transfer would've required a subdivision plan showing all improvements on the property. Neither the county nor local zoning commissions would allow the creation of a lot that's fenced off to the street on three of four sides and only accessable through an adjoiners land on the fourth. In most cities (most municipalities, actually) it would be a violation of the zoning laws, so the subdivision plan wouldn't get approved and the property could not be transferred.

It's all about emergency access which, in turn, is all about liability. I'll give you an example: let's say you own a 100 acre parcel and you want to put in a 1,000 foot long road in leading to a nice secluded house. You can only do that if the road terminates in a cul-de-sac with a minimum diameter of 100 feet. It's so a fire truck won't get stuck back there. In an upscale Chicago urban environment I'd expect the zoning laws to be much stricter in terms of access. I'd love to see the subdivision plan and zoning regulations.

Posted by: Tinian at March 08, 2008 11:16 AM (1Mq7K)

53 UberBlick:
That's why I thank the Lord for Texas in my prayers every day. Well, except for Austin, anyways. It's a really nice town, but do they put something funny in the water? But I digress, an oxy/acetylene rig and one of those cute little rubber treaded track hoes would fix the access to that lot before a commissioner could even spell zoning plan.

Posted by: RScott at March 08, 2008 11:46 AM (r9DD+)

54 Rogue Elephant: What, is there stupid in the water out there? Where the hell in my comment do I support or even MENTION fucking Obama. Link me to a comment where I have EVER supported Obama. If you care to look at the docweaselblog we mock him mercilessly. I'm a McCain supporter, have been since Rudy dropped out. Fucking stupid people. Why do I bother?

Posted by: docweasel at March 08, 2008 12:36 PM (aj6WF)

55 [Posted by: Tinian at March 08, 2008 11:16 AM]

Tinian, the term accessibility which, say, Lisa Myers used, has nothing to do with the legal definition of the term wrt deeming a parcel accessible. This lot is accessible in that the lot has a lot line in common with the public right-of-way. Any owner of that lot has unobstructed, by right, access. That the fence is there along both ROW lines is not an encumberance to that right, since it is the owner's fence. If it were truly inaccessible, an easement across an accessible parcel would be required, or the subdivision would require some flag lot geometry for the otherwise inaccessible parcel before the sale.

However you are right that this might have required a subdivision plan. It depends on the state and local code. At a minimum in this case, though, it could have been abbreviated if it was done in on the instrument surveys from the original sale -- updates of which are usually only required if older than one year, something that sounds like could have happened here. There would be no encroachments as far as I can tell and certainly none that are more an issue than there were by reason of the sale by the original owner.

[Posted by: Laddy at March 08, 2008 09:36 AM]

I'm not surprised that some are unavailable, like the abstract of title. But orthophotos and planimetrics would hardly be which I'm sure the City has something type of. And tax maps are public information also. With the advent of digital records, they might be very current and only show current lot sizes but it's possible it hasn't been done yet. But the archive office would show what it was before -- My city has ortho archives from 1970's and planimetrics from the early sixties and late seventies and various older taxes map issues. Lastly, survey offices might have older tax records, either printed records or microfiche, if one has no luck elsewhere. Oh and I forgot to mention the library.

The first thing I'd do, if I lived in Chicago, would be to check the code for minimum (buildable) lot size and then go to the site and pace the lot lines at the ROW. If it was close, I would do it again using a tape measure. If it looked problematic, only then would I start looking for maps.

Posted by: Dusty at March 08, 2008 02:11 PM (GJLeQ)

I wonder if Obama gets elected, whether the test for being declared "corrupt" will include being photographed with a notorious lobbyist standing 20 feet behind you in the same room? That's the MSM's rules for the current President you know.

Posted by: sherlock at March 08, 2008 02:31 PM (ojW85)

57 Dusty. The property was originally listed as one, the "side lot" and main property being sold together for the original asking price. The little division thing was cooked up so Rezko could "help" the Obama afford this house.

Also, Michelle Obama apparently sat on some kind of historical properties commission or zoning commission and was able to find out about the property through those channels and green-light the property division, right before resigning her position.

Dirty stuff by BOTH Obamas, or was Michelle the driving force behind the whole thing and Barak went along just to keep mama happy? Either way, not good.

Posted by: funky chicken at March 08, 2008 02:39 PM (I+jPP)

58 Oh, and how funny that this story involves Obama, Syria, Rezko, Iraq, Saddam, Auchi.

I hope the WSJ has Claudia Rosette preparing a fabulous 2 week series on the Oil For Fraud connection, the Syrian connection, the Michelle Obama role, and more.

Posted by: funky chicken at March 08, 2008 02:45 PM (I+jPP)

59 I think everyone is missing the real reason for what has happened. Rezko was merely tithing to the Obamessiah. Like all divine beings, the Obamessiah requests certain acts of obeisance, donations, sacrifices, and other offerings. Some of us who have more, are expected to give more, while those of us, like the little drummer boy to Jesus, can only give small things, like surrender in Iraq and a 10% increase in federal taxes.

So, really, I don't see any scandal here.

Posted by: joeindc44 at March 08, 2008 03:10 PM (6YAwb)

60 [Posted by: funky chicken at March 08, 2008 02:39 PM]

I found a Trib story indicating the property was always two lots with the same owner. It was originally offered for sale again together when Obama was interested in it. So Obama and Rezko bought original separate parcels.

The vacant lot was subdivided to sell a portion to Obama and the story indicated up to 10" could be sold and still stay within ordinance. If you presume the 1500sf Obama did buy, according to the story, then it's likely the lot was 150 feet in depth.

Chicago ordinance notes minimum lot size as 6250sf for R1 and 5000sf for R2 zoning. Presuming it's one or the other and using 150' depth, the vacant parcel would now be 41.66 feet wide or 33.33 feet wide. That's pretty small and looks okay considering the video. There is another standard, however, which is based lot frontage, which requires either a 25' minimum "or the predominant lot frontage of similarly zoned lots on the same block face, whichever is greater."

Since this isn't all new stuff and has been run through the mill dozens of times already, I'm pretty sure my original thoughts about buildable lots are not applicable. Still and all, I can't rewatch the Lisa Myers vid now that I have this info to relate to it. I wish I could verify it myself, but I can't find where the property located.

Posted by: Dusty at March 08, 2008 03:24 PM (GJLeQ)

61 [ Posted by: Dusty at March 08, 2008 02:11 PM (GJLeQ)]

Tinian, the term accessibility which, say, Lisa Myers used, has nothing to do with the legal definition of the term wrt deeming a parcel accessible. This lot is accessible in that the lot has a lot line in common with the public right-of-way. Any owner of that lot has unobstructed, by right, access. That the fence is there along both ROW lines is not an encumberance to that right, since it is the owner's fence. If it were truly inaccessible, an easement across an accessible parcel would be required...

I know all that stuff. What I am talking about is physical access. Unlike you, I'm not well versed in Chicago zoning ordinances. I'm just saying that where I live it's doubtful the zoning boards would let you create such a lot.

As for your lot sizes in post #60 you have some math errors. According to the article you link to the 1,500 sq. ft. lot was one-sixth of the original lot. That means the original lot was 9,000 sq. ft. The 1,500 sq. ft. strip was 10 ft. wide, which makes the lot depth 150 ft. A 9,000 sq. ft. lot 150 ft. deep would be 60 ft. wide. Subtract the 10 ft. wide strip and the remaining lot is 50 ft. wide, measuring 50 ft. by 150 ft. and containing 7,500 sq. ft.

I hope you're not a realtor. Or worse yet, a surveyor!

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62 Well, to be fair, technically, running the entire country like Chicago would be "change..."

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63 [Posted by: Tinian at March 08, 2008 04:24 PM]

I'm not well versed in Chicago zoning ordinances. It was on the Internet so I looked it up.

But there are no arithmetic errors there, dude. As I noted, I was presuming the minimum, i.e., the R1 and R2 minimum square footage criteria. I didn't use the 1/6 because it is more likely an approximation. My arithmetic is correct based on those minimums. Reading IS fundamental, Tinian.

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64 [ Posted by: Dusty at March 08, 2008 11:39 PM (GJLeQ)]

But there are no arithmetic errors there, dude. As I noted, I was presuming the minimum, i.e., the R1 and R2 minimum square footage criteria.I didn't use the 1/6 because it is more likely an approximation.

What? The original lots were probably older than the current zoning regulations, making your presumption foolish. One-sixth works out perfectly mathematically, and the original lot was probably much older than the zoning regulations. I've researched, plotted, measured and platted hundreds of
subdivision parcels and it's the odd bird that was made in 1956 or so that just happens to both meet 2008 zoning regulations to the square foot and has frontage measuring to the decimal increment of a foot.

Trust me -- I do this stuff for a living. I hope you don't!

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