Thomas West, Canton attorneys settle housing lawsuit over house demo order
CANTON − Thomas West is back to fixing up the 14th Street NW home he bought in 2021, now that his two-year court battle with the city is over.
West, a former city councilman and former state representative who was recently appointed as president and chief executive officer of the Greater Stark County Urban League, hopes to be able to rent out the home at 723 14th St. NW early next year because he no longer has to worry about the city trying to demolish it.
West, who purchased the home on July 6, 2021, sued the city of Canton on July 22, 2021, when he learned the city was planning to demolish the two-story, four-bedroom home.
The city, which boarded up the vacant house in June 2020 after several years of unaddressed code violations, had issued a demolition order for the home in April 2021 when it was still under the previous owner.
West and city attorneys agreed to settle the lawsuit after the 5th District Court of Appeals ruled in April that Stark County Common Pleas Judge Kristin Farmer was wrong to declare that West had no legal standing to challenge the city’s demolition order. The appeals court stated that West had the same rights as the former owner.
The settlement, which was finalized in August, states the city will not demolish the home if West makes the necessary repairs to the property and pays for the pre-demolition costs the city incurred.
Vivianne Whalen Duffrin, assistant law director with the Canton Law Department, confirmed the settlement terms but declined further comment.
West, who has abandoned his plans to move his family into the 14th Street NW home due to the city’s actions, plans to help other city residents avoid facing a similar situation if they choose to rehabilitate a home.
“In my new role (with the Urban League), I want to educate the community on steps they need to do to prepare their home for renovation based on the stuff I didn’t know,” West said. “Even though I was a city councilman and state representative, the Ohio Revised Code is a really thick book. They expect you to know it all and the general public doesn’t know it all.”
West also hopes city officials will reconsider how they pursue demolitions and work more with homeowners to improve their property before resorting to fines and fees.
Reach Repository staff writer Kelli Weir at 330-580-8339 or kelli.weir@cantonrep.com.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Canton, Thomas West settle housing lawsuit to avoid demolition
