Abandoned Florida Homes In Foreclosure Haven For Rats, Snakes, Mosquitos

The South Florida Sun Sentinel reports on the problems facing code enforcement personnel throughout South Florida. Aesthetic nuisances like uncut lawns and dirty pools can lead to health hazards. Snakes and rodents love uncut lawns (Editor's Note: in the western parts of the counties, you may even find an occasional alligator in the tall grass). With the pools, the concerns are about mosquitoes and young children getting in them. Other concerns are rotting garbage dumped in the yard, problems of gang activity and prostitution in certain areas, homes getting broken into and getting vandalized or used for drug use. Mailboxes brimming with mail are reliable signals of vacant and abandoned homes. For more, see South Florida foreclosure trend leads to rise in unkempt homes (Foreclosure trend leads to increase in unkempt homes).

Florida Emerald Coast.com reports on a foreclosure problem affecting some residents of one neighborhood in Destin, Florida. The residents are complaining about an abandoned home in foreclosure with an unmaintained pool that is providing a comfortable haven for rats and mosquitos, and possibly snakes, as well. Reportedly, the owners moved out about a year ago, and the code enforcement people say they can't go on the premise without the owners consent. The mortgage lender has apparently yet to foreclose. For more, see Neighbors fed up with rats, snakes.