Abandoned house on Pearl St attracting rodents and squatters

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) – Charline Smith has lived in her North Toledo home for 7 years. Since she’s been there, the neighboring property has been vacant.

Smith says the house attracts crime.

“I’ve called the city of Toledo countless times complaining about people coming into the house,” Smith says. “A guy actually went to the back of the house once. I asked him if he lived here, and he told me to take my butt back to my house. And just people walking in and out of the house, stripping the house. I called the cops when they removed the aluminum from the house.

Smith learned from the city of Toledo that the owners died. Although the owners are no longer alive, Smith says the structure needs to be maintained.

She says rats and rodents live inside the house, creating danger for her family.

“I have small children, I’m afraid they’ll play in the garden because we smell dead rodents when they’re dead in the garden. It’s just too much,” Smith says. “The grass grows taller than me. My children and I cannot enjoy my garden because of the grass.

The city of Toledo says the property is one of many on a long list of buildings in Toledo waiting to be demolished. Representatives say the building could be gone by the summer if American Rescue Plan Act funding plans are approved.

“I want it torn down because there’s nothing you can do with it. There is a socket in the roof at the back of the house. There is no house repair. It needs to be torn down,” Smith says.

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