In Re Dupell

235 B.R. 783, 42 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 496, 1999 Bankr. LEXIS 852, 34 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 889, 1999 WL 518908
United States Bankruptcy Court, E.D. Pennsylvania·Decided July 19, 1999·No. 19-10343·Published·Cited by 16 cases

Opinion

OPINION

DIANE WEISS SIGMUND, Bankruptcy Judge.

Before the Court is the Motion of Crusader Bank, F.S.B. (“Bank”) for Relief from Stay (the “Motion”) pursuant to § 362(d)(1) or (d)(2) to exercise its state law remedies against certain rental property (the “Property”) which Debtor owns and on which Bank holds a mortgage (“Mortgage”). 1 For the reasons stated below, the Motion is denied at this time.

*787 BACKGROUND

On January 5, 1999, Kevin P. Dupell (“Debtor”) filed this individual Chapter 11 case. Debtor is the owner of nine rental properties located in Norristown, Pennsylvania, including the Property, a six 2 unit apartment building located on E. Jacoby Street. 3 The $135,000 loan for the Property was made July 15, 1997 and went into default in December 1997. Since that date no payments were made until this bankruptcy was filed on January 15, 1999. 4 Post-petition payments were made for the months of March and April, albeit several weeks late, in the regular monthly amount of $1,467.04. Exhibits D-l and D-2. As of the hearing, the Bank contended that Debtor had not made his February, May and June post-petition payments. However, the Debtor produced a check dated May 2, 1999 evidencing the May payment, Exhibit D-3, and another dated June 2, 1999, Exhibit D-4, evidencing the June payment. 5 According to Crowley, current arrears are $20,500 although the basis of that calculation was not explained. Crowley also testified that the total indebtedness is $160,000. Presumably both these numbers do not account for the uncredited May and June payments. While the Bank produced no evidence of value, the Debt- or’s Schedules value the Property at $75,-000.

In November or December 1998, Crowley visited the Property as is the Bank’s practice when it is planning to foreclose or take action on an assignment of rents. He found the condition of the Property, a converted home, to be poor, noting floors that needed repair and water leaks. He spoke to tenants but not about whether they were paying their rent. Pursuant to the assignment of rents, the Bank sent notices to tenants in late November or early December. While these letters were not made part of the record, the Debtor acknowledged that the notices were received by two of the three existing tenants. 6 At the time three units were vacant and the total monthly rental revenues were $1,210. *788 Since then Debtor has been in the process of renovating the units for rental as section 8 housing. 7 The authorities inspected and certified the housing for such use in January or February, and he hopes to be fully rented at $500 for each of the six units by the end of July. There is a plentiful supply of potential section 8 tenants. By the end of June, he expected to receive rents of $2,000 which would be sufficient to cover the costs of operating the Property, including the Mortgage. Exhibit D-5. The rental income, he stated, is necessary for his reorganization plan, contributing 30% of the funding. If he can achieve full occupancy, his monthly income of $3,000 will generate excess revenues over expenses of $900. Without the Property, he states that he “can’t make it.”

Based on these facts, Bank contends that relief should be granted for “cause, including lack of adequate protection” pursuant to § 362(d)(1). Specifically, it argues that the poor condition of the Property, the failure to make post-petition payments and the poor payment history on the loan support this conclusion. Alternatively, it contends that relief under § 362(d)(2) is warranted as Debtor has not met its burden of proving that the Property is necessary for an effective reorganization.

DISCUSSION

Generally, the decision whether to modify, condition, or annul the bankruptcy stay under Section 362(d) is within the discretion of the bankruptcy court. See Matter of Holtkamp, 669 F.2d 505 (7th Cir.1982); In re Shariff, 68 B.R. 604 (E.D.Pa.1986); In re Colonial Center, Inc., 156 B.R. 452, 459 (Bankr.E.D.Pa.1993). The determination is made by examining the totality of the circumstances. Matter of Baptist Medical Center of New York, Inc., 52 B.R. 417, 425 (E.D.N.Y.1985), aff'd, 781 F.2d 973 (2d Cir.1986); Colonial Center, 156 B.R. at 459. Section 362(d) allows a creditor to attempt to strike a balance between its rights and the debtor’s need for breathing room in order to rehabilitate or liquidate in an orderly manner. See generally Community Federal Savings and Loan Association v. Craghead (In re Craghead), 57 B.R. 366, 369 (W.D.Mo.1985).

I.

Relief from stay under § 362(d)(1) may be granted for “cause, including the lack of adequate protection of an interest in property of such party in interest.” The party seeking relief from the stay has an initial burden to demonstrate cause for relief. In re Ward, 837 F.2d 124, 128 (3d Cir.1988); In re Purnell, 92 B.R. 625, 631 (Bankr.E.D.Pa.1988); In re Kim, 71 B.R. 1011, 1015 (Bankr.C.D.Cal.1987). This follows from the principle that a party seeking to alter the status quo has some initial burden to justify the relief sought. See generally In re Fries, 68 B.R. 676, 684-85 (Bankr.E.D.Pa.1986).

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In Re Dupell, 235 B.R. 783, 42 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 496, 1999 Bankr. LEXIS 852, 34 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 889, 1999 WL 518908 (Pa. 1999).

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