Three Beaumont residents have filed a request for injunctive relief against the city of Beaumont, alleging they are in danger of losing their home because the city will not grant them an extension to perform repairs.
Flor Escamilla, Flor Uribe and Fernando Uribe claim they purchased a property at 2280 Laurel in Beaumont from Bruce Brosnahan on May 6.
However, when they bought the house they claim they didn't realize that the city of Beaumont had notified Brosnahan that the home would be condemned because of its substandard and dangerous state, according to the complaint filed Nov. 6 in Jefferson County District Court.
When they did discover that the property was due to be demolished, the plaintiffs' sister and daughter appeared before Beaumont City Council to request an extension of time to repair the property, the suit states.
Granting the extension, the Beaumont City Council allowed the plaintiffs until Nov. 12 to repair the property, the complaint says.
Realizing that they probably could not finish the required fixes by Nov. 12, the plaintiffs requested an extension to finish the repairs. However, Beaumont City Council denied their second request because the previous owner had already been granted an extension, they claim.
"If the property is demolished, it will cause the Plaintiffs irreparable injury, loss or damage," the suit states. "Although Defendant is aware of the previous owner's deception to the Plaintiffs, Defendant still pursues the demolition of the home located at the property in question.
"Further, the demolition of the home is imminent because the City of Beaumont is in the process of taking from contractors to demolish the property in question."
The plaintiffs say they have already taken steps to repair the property and will continue to fix it up to Beaumont city codes if they are granted an extension.
The plaintiffs are seeking a temporary restraining order that immediately orders the defendant to stop any action of demolishing the property and to be prevented from taking any bids on demolition.
They will be represented by Thomas C. Mayo of Germer Gertz in Beaumont.
The case has been assigned to Judge Milton Shuffield, 136th District Court.
Jefferson County District Court case number: D185-294.