Homes In Foreclosure Limbo Create Health, Safety Concerns For Panhandle Town; Banks Reluctant To Take Title To Unwanted, Critter-Infested Collateral

On the Florida Panhandle, WJHG-TV Channel 7 reports:

• Some Springfield residents say they've had it with the owners of an abandoned home in their neighborhood. "From what I understand it's been in foreclosure for years. It's been empty for years,” said next door neighbor Cleveland Drayton. Drayton's well-manicured Springfield home sits directly next to the eyesore at the end of the cul-de-sac that nobody wants to take responsibility for.

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• Code Enforcement officials have written “Notice of Responsibility” orders to the owners and contacted the bank holding the mortgage. "The bank gives me the excuse, ‘Well it's not totally theirs until that foreclosure is finalized,’ and up to the day that the judge awards their title back to them, or deed back to the bank, that person can come up and get the money. So they're not willing to spend the money to clean it up. So that leaves it on us to go over there and clean it up,” said Lee Penton of Springfield Code Compliance.

• Neighbors say they are worried about their health and safety. “We've been seeing a lot of critters now, snakes, rats. I had to take a dead rat out of my neighbor's yard. I got an exterminator to come out here and he said well your big problem is right here,” Drayton said pointing next door.

• City officials filed another clean up work-order Thursday morning. But officials say they are very short-staffed and it may take a couple weeks before anything gets done. If no one pays the maintenance fee, the city will clean up, and then place a lien on the property. Springfield officials say they have about 30 vacant houses in the same foreclosure limbo.

For the story, see Neighbors Say Abandoned Springfield Home Is Infested With Rats And Snakes (Springfield residents want someone to take responsibility for an abandoned home that is making them worry about their health and safety).