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Key West Where Freeloaders Go Free

By
Real Estate Agent with Preferred Properties Key West

A decade ago I sold one of my favorite homes in Key West to a lovely couple from the Midwest. They looked at houses for a couple of years during and after the Great Recession in 2008. They had cash to buy the perfect or imperfect house. They chose the latter. They engaged a premiere architect and builder and rebuilt their dream house. They added one of those new-fangled tv cameras to the front porch which allowed them to watch Key West in real time from their place up north. 

 

The gentleman owner looked like Mr. Wilson from the Dennis the Menace tv show from the 1960s except he was a soft-spoken man - not one to get prissy about anything like Mr. Wilson. 

My owner had true Midwest values but appreciated the quirky Key West lifestyle. To a point. He had a Rule, however: Thou Shall Not Sit on My Porch! My owner called the Key West police when he saw a well known vagrant sitting on his porch. He called the Key West Police Department which arrested the man. I have seen this man's mugshot dozens of since then. I know his name. All Key West cops know this guy by sight. They book him and then the county sheriff frees him. All the time.

My buyers eventually sold their dream house not because of the porch sitter. But he did screw with their vision of a perfect retirement in Key West.
 
I will share this with you: The Monroe County Sheriff boasts about the money he makes for the county by renting rooms in the County Jail to other government agencies. He houses and feeds inmates like a hotelier except the guests cannot leave. He lets habitual freeloaders like the porch sitter go free and houses criminals for profit.

 

 

 

Wayne Martin
Wayne M Martin - Chicago, IL
Real Estate Broker - Retired

Good morning Gary. OK, maybe not by the book but at least as a government official, he is turning a profit for Key West and not himself! Or maybe not! What say you? Enjoy your day.

Nov 04, 2021 04:58 AM
Matthew O'Hare
Osterville, MA

While I can understand the frustration with a person sitting on one's porch, it isn't exactly the kind if "crime" that warrants being licked up for long periods of time. The real crime is for profit incarceration and lack of adequate mental health facilities that would free you of your unwanted... sitter.

Nov 04, 2021 05:24 AM
Bill Salvatore - East Valley
Arizona Elite Properties - Chandler, AZ
Realtor - 602-999-0952 / em: golfArizona@cox.net

Wonderful story, thanks for the share.  bill 

Nov 04, 2021 05:52 AM
Ed Silva, 203-206-0754
Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 - Waterbury, CT
Central CT Real Estate Broker Serving all equally

Had he known he was getting Red Skelton arrested he might not have  called the police.  It is sad that he let someone that probably would not have stopped on the front porch of an occupied house steal his retirement dream

Nov 04, 2021 06:17 AM
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena And Southern California 818.516.4393

Hello Gary - you always share a slice of Key West life along with a bit of nostalgia.  

Nov 04, 2021 06:17 AM
Gary Thomas
Preferred Properties Key West - Key West, FL
Realtor to the Dreamers

I jjust went to the Monroe County Sheriff website where the public can search people arrested in real time as well as historical arrrests (being booked into jail). The freeloader has 62 bookings most for trespass or citry ordinance violation. One for battery on a law enforcemnt officer. 

Nov 05, 2021 01:33 AM