Mayor Bill De Blasio Says Eyesore Home In Brooklyn 'Has To Be Addressed'
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- On Thursday, CBS2 demanded answers from Mayor Bill de Blasio about a vacant property in Brooklyn that neighbors say is an eyesore.
A homeowner on Clarendon Road in East Flatbush has racked up fines totaling more than $300,000, but that owner is nowhere to be found.
Neighbors have complained for years about squatters, rodents and damage. They even tried to sue the owner but have not received help.
CBS2 showed the problem to the mayor.
"We gotta help them because they are people who have served this city. We gotta help them because they should not be held liable for whatever their neighbor did. We gotta help them because if the neighbor property was doing this much damage to the rest of the community, it has to be addressed," de Blasio said. "I'll have the buildings commissioner follow up on it immediately."
The Department of Sanitation has cleaned the property due to complaints. The Department of Buildings says the home is structurally sound.
CBS2 reached out to the homeowner, but they did not respond.