BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. — A Boynton Beach man at the center of an ongoing battle to save his childhood home says time may be running out after finding a new notice on his front door signaling the city is moving forward with demolition.
Javis Sims, who first shared his story at WPTV’s Let’s Hear It community event, returned to the property this week and says he was caught off guard.
“When I got here to the house earlier, I found this sticker right here,” Sims said, pointing to a notice posted on the home.
WATCH: Homeowner says notice on door signals demolition could be next
The notice indicates the city of Boynton Beach Building Division has verified utilities at the property have been disconnected—a step tied to the city-initiated demolition process.
Sims says this is the first time he’s seen documentation signaling demolition could be imminent.
Sims says he inherited the home in 2009 after his mother passed away. Since then, the house has remained vacant and fallen into disrepair—but he maintains his goal has always been to restore it.
“I have it all right here in writing, everything that I issued to the city… everything that they asked me to do,” Sims said.
Standing outside the home, Sims showed WPTV reporter Vannia Joseph stacks of paperwork, documents he says detail years of communication with the city, including permits, contractor estimates, and financial records.
He says he’s spent thousands of dollars trying to move the project forward, but never made it to the construction phase.
“They made me produce bank statements and everything,” he said.
Sims admits navigating the permitting process has been a learning experience, saying he wasn’t always aware of inspection requirements at each stage. Still, he believes he’s made a good faith effort to comply.
“The only thing I’ve been getting from the city is the runaround… this is the only time I hear from the city, when they make their next move,” Sims said.
In a statement to WPTV, the city of Boynton Beach says the property has been vacant since approximately 2009 and was officially declared unsafe and uninhabitable in November 2022.
City officials say they worked with Sims over nearly three years, issuing notices, granting extensions, and providing guidance on how to bring the home into compliance.
According to the city, while efforts were made to pursue rehabilitation, required repairs were not completed and previously issued permits expired without inspections or construction activity.
The city also says it requested documentation showing a viable, funded plan to complete the rehabilitation but did not receive sufficient information within the provided timeframes.
Officials cite significant safety concerns at the property, including structural instability, roof failure, compromised walls, exposed electrical wiring, and conditions that could pose a risk to neighbors and first responders.
Because of those conditions, the city says it is required under Florida law to move forward.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Boynton Beach man fights to save childhood home
The city also confirmed that an asbestos inspection, required before demolition, has now been completed after a court-authorized inspection warrant was obtained.
Officials say multiple alternatives to demolition were explored, but at this stage, demolition is the only option remaining to protect public safety.
Despite the city’s position, Sims says he believes the home can still be saved if given the opportunity to move forward with repairs.
“Every time I do something, I had to have an inspection… when I tried to get permits, they wouldn’t be issued,” he said.
He says since WPTV first aired his story, attorneys have reached out offering help, giving him hope that a solution may still be possible.
“I’m hoping something comes of this before the house comes down,” Sims said.
