Jill Griffin, a Ferndale resident, told the City Council on Aug. 12 that city staff had designated her longtime family house as vacant and threatened penalties despite her statement that she keeps personal belongings there, visits multiple times per week and maintains utilities and yard care. Griffin said her family has owned the property for 12 years and the house has been in the family for about 80 years.

The matter was raised during the meeting’s public comment period because Griffin said she received a letter stating the property was listed as vacant and would incur penalties. She said she and an associate, identified in testimony as Kathy, brought documents to city hall — including a driver’s license, voter registration, insurance, bank and tax documents — but were told the clerk would not review them and that staff would instead leave a message for the director to call.

Kathy, speaking for Griffin at the meeting, said Director Roger Crusoe called on July 14 and told the homeowner there were three reasons for the vacant listing: it was not the primary residence, low water usage, and a neighbor report that staff said had not been documented. Kathy said Griffin reportedly uses the house "at least 3 times a week," receives mail there, and maintains the lawn and shoveled snow. Kathy said Griffin was prepared to sell the house and had signed with a realty company but that Director Crusoe declined to review the supporting paperwork when they visited the city offices on July 17.

Kathy said Crusoe told Griffin he would give her 30 days and might revisit the matter, and that, if it were to be considered a primary residence, she would have to call "every night" for staff to check for her presence — a condition Kathy said made Griffin uncomfortable and felt like "intimidation, stalking, and a little bit of harassment." Kathy also said staff could not produce records of the neighbor complaint Crusoe referenced.

The council did not take formal action on the complaint at the meeting; the exchange occurred during public comment. Director Roger Crusoe appears elsewhere in the same meeting record presenting unrelated development items (storm drainage easement for 141 Vester), but the transcript does not show a direct public-response from Crusoe to the vacant-house complaint during the comment period.

Why this matters: Ferndale’s vacant-property rules can trigger fines or property classification changes that affect owners’ obligations and costs. A resident’s claim that staff declined to review documentary proof, and that alleged neighbor reports were unrecorded, raises procedural questions about how the city applies and documents enforcement.