Shocked and Disheartened: Black Firefighters Respond to Property Sale Decision
Photo: Susan Fried
Seattle, WA—In a press statement released this afternoon, the Northwest Association of Retired Black Fire Fighters (NWARBFF) expressed its “shock and disheartening” response to a court decision concerning the historic Seattle Black Fire Fighters Association (SBFFA) house in the Central District in which the judge refused to reverse the sale. The NARBFF asserted that a previous court ruling had identified an illegal sale of the property, violating an explicit court order. The decision held the defendants in contempt for the sale to Camila Borges, with sanctions expected.
The group now claims confusion, stating that the public will likely struggle to understand how a court order can be violated without consequences. They question the judge's finding of innocence regarding Ms. Borges, arguing she “knew or should have known” the sale violated the court order and proceeded with plans to “flip” the property after discovering the lawsuit.
Clarence Williams, speaking on behalf of the Northwest Association of Retired Black Firefighters, said they are reviewing the judge's opinion to determine their next steps. These include the possibility of an appeal or a new lawsuit against Ms. Borges' company. The goal remains to keep the historic property within the ownership of the Black firefighters.
Despite the property setback, the Northwest Association of Retired Black Firefighters affirmed its continued support for the Seattle Black Firefighters Foundation (SBFFA). It emphasized its commitment to the SBFFA's original objectives of recruiting and promoting Black Firefighters within Seattle.
NWARBFF Statement below:
We are shocked and disheartened by this decision. The court had previously found that the illegal sale of the property violated the explicit terms of her court order, which was issued after a lengthy trial. The judge found that the Defendants were in contempt of court for illegally selling the house to Camila Borges and that they must be sanctioned.
The public will likely be confused that someone can violate a court order and there are no repercussions. We believe the judge is mistaken about the innocence of Ms. Borges – she knew or should have known the sale would violate the court order and yet she doubled down and spent massive sums of money to prepare the house simply to "flip it” after discovering this lawsuit.
We are studying the judge’s opinion and we will decide whether to appeal the decision, or bring a new lawsuit against Ms. Borges’ company and how best to fight to keep this historic property in the rightful hands of the black firefighters, where it belongs."
As Retired Seattle Black Firefighters, we desired a different outcome regarding maintaining the real property, but we are clear eyed when we say we want the SBFFA to pursue its original goals of recruitment and promoting Black Firefighters in the city of Seattle. We, as Retired Black Fire Fighters stand ready to support them in that effort.
Clarence Williams
