There are currently over 300 empty homes here in Melbourne Florida, due to foreclosure. Some of these are causing real headaches for Code Enforcement officials.
Overgrown yards, unsecure muck filled pools, and rodents are becoming a real issue on some. The number of complaints on these homes has quadrupled in the past couple of years.
Officials are trying to track down the banks/owners of these properties to try to rectify the situations.
Some lawns are becoming so overgrown that the city is posting a warning and is then is mowing the grass and charging the owners.
The city is trying to determine if they should implement additional laws to try to alleviate some of these problems.
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Sandy, pools must be a huge problem in Florida, where there are so many of them. We had an empty house where the pool became a breeding ground for frogs. It was awful!
Frogs I could take, it would be the aligators that I would worry about. Hopefully the announcements today will slow down the foreclosure process and keep more homes in owner's hands.
Hi Patricia and Fred. Pools have become a problem. And the biggest concern is of children wandering into the backyards and falling in. And they definitely are a health risk, with all the of the things that can breed in them!
I've see some frog infested pools at foreclosures, never seen so many frogs in my life. I imagine that its difficult for the city to collect payment on the lawn care servicse from the property owners.
Then there are the mosquitoes that breed in abandoned pools. I know someone who snuck into the backyard of the foreclosed house next door and poured a bottle of dish detergent into it to keep the mosquitoes from hatching. It's just bad every way you look at it.
In my subdivision, the HOA is having to maintain the yard of one home already. They have liened the property for back dues and costs.
Hi Justin, Unfortunately those pools get infested with everything! Here I have seen the city tacking liens to the property, that must be satisfied before a new buyer eventually takes possession of the property. Thanks for stopping by!
Hi Laurie, Mosquitoes are the worst. Does dish washing liquid really work to keep the mosquitoes from hatching? That's good to know. I had never heard of that before!
Hi Rich, I have heard of some HOA's taking over because they are receiving so much flack from disgruntled homeowners living in the area. Nothing wrong with that! And I think that liens should be attached to those properties.
Sandy - I checked my facts, and yes, dishwashing liquid works to get rid of mosquitoes. Apparently, you can use oil, too, but I would think that would be harder on the pool system.
Hi Laurie, I had no idea that dishwashing liquid worked to get rid of mosquitoes. Thanks for checking that out and getting back on that. I'm thinking that neither dishwashing liquid or oil would be good for a pool pump, once the system was back up and running. However, all the scum and muck in the pool, I'm sure, are much worse for it. What are you gonna do, you know? It's a tough situation.