Bradenton Foreclosures Account For 50% Of Local Code Violations; Cape Coral Code Enforcers Also Struggle With Vacant Homes

In Central Florida, The Bradenton Herald reports:

• Foreclosures in Manatee County [...] are putting a heavy workload on local code enforcement departments. Foreclosures run a list of violations from vandalism and overgrown grass to termites and rodents.

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• Volker Reiss, code enforcement director for Bradenton, said about 50 percent of the department's time is allocated to foreclosure violations. "The time-consuming element is trying to do research and finding out who owns it, and getting a hold of them," Reiss said. "It's a problem for everyone." [...] When it comes to getting a bank to tend to violations of foreclosed properties, the city of Bradenton has seen and heard it all. Reiss said he's seen banks respond to violations, he's heard bank representatives say the problem will be fixed then not honor their word, and he's heard nothing at all from the banks that ignore the situation.

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• Among foreclosed homes in Bradenton, code enforcement officer Barbara Hogan has seen overgrown grass, snakes, fruit rats, bee colonies, and tadpoles and frogs in green pools. "The longer they sit empty the further they deteriorate," Hogan said. "I think a lot of neighbors are feeling the effects."

For more, see Foreclosures burdening to code officers.

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In Cape Coral, Florida, The News Press reports:

• Cape Coral Code Enforcement has a backlog of 700 lots that need to be mowed on unkempt homes in foreclosure. “It’s a challenge. We’ve never experienced this before,” said Frank Cassidy, head of the city’s Code Compliance Division.The backlog, said Cassidy, was created by “the huge number of properties in foreclosure.” It will take about two months at a cost total cost of $38,990 — or $55.70 a lot — for the two services under a city contract to mow all 700 lots, Cassidy said. By that time, he said there will still be a backlog as more homes go into foreclosure. “We’ll be mowing an average of 260 to 300 lots a month through the end of the year,” he said.

Source: Cape Coral faces backlog of mowing lots for foreclosed homes.