Call Kurtis: The Vacant House Next Door Is A Jungle; What Can I Do?
SOUTH SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — "It's an eyesore," said neighbor Michele Rose.
She is talking about the jungle on the block a home with knee high weeds, overgrown trees and no clear path to walk up to the front door.
Michele said the vacant house has been like this for five years.
Michele said, "It's uncalled for, to have a house look like that in your neighborhood."
So what do you do if your neighbor's yard is in shambles and they are nowhere to be found?
"You continue to call us," said Carl Simpson Code and Housing Enforcement Chief.
Simpson says his team can go after the property owner and in this case, they have.
Several violations have piled up on the front door and according to Simpson the city has fined the homeowner $42,000 over the last 5 years.
"Why does the city come out every month and post a notice on top of a notice on top of a notice," said Michele.
"We're dealing with a property owner who owns the house out right and is not being responsive," said Simpson.
Simpson told us there is a lengthy legal process when dealing with homes left in unkempt conditions; first fines, if that does not work the city cleans it up and then bills the homeowner.
Simpson said that code enforcement has hired a company to clean up the house four times, each time billing the owner.
If the homeowner does not pay the fines, the county can eventually auction off the place to cover that cost.
However with this house, "the property owner has paid 50 percent of those fees," said Simpson, which he says slows down their process.
"I can't tell you why he hasn't just maintained the property instead of just writing us a twenty thousand dollar check," said Simpson.
After Michele contacted us the city once again hired a maintenance company to clean up the place and will fine the homeowner.
Michele wants a permanent fix to the problem so she doesn't have to look at the eyesore anymore. "I think they should take the house away," said Michele.
The county said the homeowner now owes $36,000 and the house is now on the list to be auctioned off.
