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Pocono News Section
Blighted House in Scranton Frustrates Neighbors
Blighted House in Scranton Frustrates Neighbors - Monday, July 27, 2009 at 6:45PM EST
Reported by: Kyla Campbell
Monday, Jul 27, 2009 @ 06:45pm EST
SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY -- People living along Prescott Avenue tell us a house at 837-839 is causing problems. City officials say it's been condemned for two years, and attorneys say the owner faces citations worth more than $40,000. Neighbors want the city to do more.
"It just depreciates the neighborhood to the point we don't like looking over here," said a man who didn't want to be identified.
He's lived on the street for more than 30 years and says the property was at its worst last year.
"They had five animals in there, and they'd let them go to the bathroom in the basement and the smell was just unbelievable," he said.
Scranton's director of inspections, Mark Seitzinger, tells us the house was condemned two years ago, and issues continue.
"We've been getting a lot of complains about it -- garbage, overgrowth -- you name it, we've heard complaints about it," added Seitzinger.
The house has been boarded up, but the say the back door is often left open. They have concerns with the elementary school being right across the street.
"The concern is children will wander into those buildings," said Seitzinger. "It's not the safest situation for the child to be in, and we want the building boarded up at all times."
Lackawanna County Assistant District Attorney Bob Kline tells us the homeowner has been cited 72 times for a total of more than $42,000.
Neighbors want the house torn down so the property can be used as a green space across from the school.
"We would really like to have something done with this property," added the neighbor.
Seitzinger tells us the homeowner has been cleaning up the property for the past few months, but it remains condemned. If the homeowner plans to renovate, he has to provide a $20,000 bond for the city. That way, if it doesn't get brought up to code, it would be demolished at his expense, not the taxpayers. | | |
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