EUREKA LANDLORD CONTINUES BUSINESS PENDING LAWSUIT WITH CITY

 Floyd squires is cleaning up and repairing the Blue Heron Motel on Broadway in Eureka.
 
"This is all the framing and electrical and this is where the fire was," Squires said.
 
He adds that he’s already collected some deposits from renters.
 
"I'll have four back next week," Squires said.
 
The Blue Heron Motel is one of 26 properties that pose safety and health issues according to the City of Eureka.
 
"Those were identified by our Building Department as the worst of the properties,” City Attorney Cyndy Day-Wilson said.
 
Wilson said they filed the lawsuit in January of 2011 to put those properties in a receivership.
 
"And so since Jan 2, 2013 it's been under submission with Judge Reinholtsen."
 
In October the judge ordered six of those properties to be placed in interim receivership— but squires quickly appealed.
 
"A receiver was initially appointed,” Wilson said. “But it's gone no further than that."
 
And now both parties are waiting for a response— but that isn’t stopping Squires from moving forward with business.
 
"This has been inspected back here,” He said pointing out parts of the property. “This is where the fire was, this whole section has been replaced."
 
Eureka’s Chief Building Officer Brian Gerving said he’s aware of the work being done.
 
"Those repairs are ongoing,” Gerving said. “Two inspections have been performed at the site since the permit was obtained."
 
But he said that the property is inhabitable.
 
“The property was red-tagged, or tagged as unsafe to occupy after the fire,” Gerving said. “Until we verify that the conditions caused in the fire and the other unsafe conditions there have been corrected— occupancy cannot be permitted."
 
There is no word as to when the judge will make a ruling.