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Springfield Residents Call Attention to Vacant, Neglected Homes
06/29/09 - 02:57 PM
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The grass is severely overgrown … the windows mostly knocked out … the roof seems to be on the edge of collapse and no one has lived there for years.
Some Springfield residents are asking for help. So, we check out some of the eyesores in this on your side Problem Solver.
 
Tauheedah Bryan knows all too well about the old neglected homes on Detroit Avenue in Springfield ... she sees them everyday. I asked her about one particular house across from her home.  “How long has this house been empty?” She told me, “At least around 1987 ... in that area.  And no one (is) living in there ... looks like it has deteriorated over the years.”  And there are others close by. Neighbor Michael Smith says, “If it looks bad in your neighborhood ... It reflects on where you live at.”

The picture tells the story at one of the locations ... weeds growing up and the house is in terrible shape.  Residents say they have complained for years about these eyesores and they just want some answers as to what can be done about them.

Lee Penton is the new Code Enforcement Officer for the City of Springfield ... only been on the job for about a month.  He knows he has a lot of work to do about the ugly, vacant homes.  Penton says, “I would not want to live next door to one of them.”  Penton says it is a very time consuming process … trying to locate the owners of the abandoned homes.  Penton also says, “There probably needs to be some changes in state statute to let city employees upkeep the property.”  Penton says that would be in the form of a new ordinance that would be approved by the city.  It would allow limited maintenance … cutting grass and weeds as the process continued to find owners of these neglected properties ... and hold them accountable.
Residents have indicated they know who owns the properties.  Might there be better communication between the city and the residents in terms of finding these owners?  Penton tells me, “That is correct ... be more than willing.”  And, the residents tell me they are more than willing to help in any way they can to make a difference to their neighborhood.
Penton tells me there have been discussions in the last couple of weeks with the city of Springfield about moving toward an effort to deal with these eyesores ... but, it will take time.  We will keep you updated as to when any type of ordinance will be up for discussion with Springfield residents ... and hopefully action by city leaders.