Nonprofit Abandoned Property Costs Plenty

November 9, 2010; Source: Daytona Beach News Journal | United Cerebral Palsy of East Central Florida has been charged $10,000 for leaving a building idle and, apparently, uncared for. The organization owns two buildings and the one for which they are being charged became mold ridden. The organization moved their operations from that location and was, according to the organization, using it for storage among other things, but the county says that the only time the organization cared for it was when they were threatened with fines for code violations. Agency Director Craig Byrd says that the agency had “big plans” for the property but these were stalled by the economy. UCP has paid the fine but also filed suit to get the money back. The county appears to be holding firm. Flagler County property Appraiser, Jay Gardner says, “You have to own [the property] and you have to use it,” Gardner said. “We kept waiting for them to move back into the building and they didn’t.”—Ruth McCambridge