Quantcast
breaking news

Despite Rise in Condemned Houses, One Man Steps Up

By: Nora Hartfeil
Updated: October 24, 2012
watch video
Though English is still a second language for 71-year old Enrique Ramos, he understood the words on a sign posted on his house a year ago.

"It needed a lot of maintenance, and I guess the city just kind of pushed him to do it", says Janie Martinez, daughter of Ramos.

Twenty years of making his house into a home, and nine children later, Ramos was determined to not let his house go to waste. So he got busy.

"Every single detail has been hand-worked by him", explains Martinez.

And now, Ramos' house is transformed, from a condemned and unlivable environment, to a custom home, that he is proud of.

"He just wants to live the rest of his days in it. That's all he has", says Martinez.

Though there's still a little more work to be done, Ramos says he's inspired and is actually thankful the city pushed him to make a change.

"It was kind of a blessing in disguise, because the house did need a facelift, but at the same time he sees it as a great job he could do, and if it wasn't for the city doing this, he wouldn't have done what he's done", Martinez tells us.

With other condemned homes in the neighborhood, Ramos is ready to move forward in a safe, clean home, and finally, take down that sign.

Ramos tells us that he has a city inspector scheduled to come out this week to look over his work, and he is confident it will pass this time. He is hoping to move back into his house shortly after it passes.

Comments

And the tax appraisal office will be at his home next, and his taxes will skyrocket....

Kevin K. October 25, 2012 at 7:19 am

Readers Feel...

hello
Related Content

A mile wide tornado in Oklahoma leaves the town of Moore devastated on Monday afternoon....

Blanket School endured massive damage during a tornado on Monday night....

Breanna Camacho and Elexus Flores were killed in a N. Abilene car accident, but their family has made sure their impact continues....

Shortly before 6PM Monday the National Weather Service and a DPS trooper reported a tornado on the ground in the town of Blanket in Brown County. The storm has damaged several structures. No reports...

An Abilene mother is on trial, accused of not turning her son over to police after he was arrested for his alleged involvement in a series of car burglaries around ACU in 2011. ...

The 12th annual Click It or Ticket campaign runs from May 20th to June 2nd as law enforcement officials crack down on seat-belt violations....

Drought conditions continue to worsen across the Big Country. Exceptional drought conditions are in place in Jones, Fisher, Shackelford, and Haskell counties....

Three people have been charged with robbery after they assaulted a loss prevention officer at Walmart....

Melody Shelton is referring to a piece of her land that used to be filled with mesquite trees and native grass, now reduced to dirt and stumps....

Due to the Memorial Day Holiday on May 27, all non-emergency City facilities will close and there will be no collection of residential waste....

 
Find Articles Here
 
End
      Page 700 of 639
 
Search BigCountryHomepage.com