Demolition permit delays leave squatter homes in Seattle neighborhood until Jesse Jones steps in

Two million-dollar-plus homes in Seattle were expected to be demolished more than a month ago to make room for townhomes, but the city stopped their work once they discovered the owners didn’t have a permit.

“I think it’s World War Three. I mean, it’s devastating,” said neighbor Jesse Angelo. “I mean, you’ve got a house that half-demolished. Trees that are all over the place. Garbage, rats, needles.”

And don’t forget the squatters.

“Right now, I have nowhere to live because I live outside,” said Joey D., who was sleeping in one of the homes.

State records said the homes are owned by an LLC named Happy Island, but phone calls went unanswered.

The Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections said in an email that no permits were submitted or obtained for demolition.

“They need to get a permit,” Angelo said. “They need to get this done and do it the right way because they haven’t done it the right way.”

Max Aficiuc, a partner in the property, was asked when he was going to get a demo permit.

“What I’m saying is the person I hired to do this told me they were,” Aficiuc said. “So if it’s a miscommunication between two subcontracting parties this is malicious. There’s nothing malicious. We believe they were.”

Days later, the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections told Jesse Jones the owners not only applied for the permit, but it was expedited and approved.

The houses were demolished shortly after.

“It was a miscommunication with the design team. We apologize for that. We reached out to them,” Aficiuc said. “Everybody is on the same page now. We’re going to move forward in good faith. Apologize to the neighbors. That’s about all I can say.”

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