Neighborhood nuisance: Lot abandoned on Putnam

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) – A woman in Toledo says the value of her property is being affected by vacant land next door, and she wants the city to clean it up. But the city says it’s not that simple.

“Over the past three or four years, things have worsened,” says Rochelle Harris, longtime Toledo resident. She is concerned about the vacant lot next to her house in Putnam. She says it attracts a lot of unwanted visitors.

“They use it as a dumping ground. There are all kinds of animals, little creatures that roam here, ”she says.

For years, she asked Toledo for help. A city spokesperson said the land had been abandoned for a decade. The owner owes $ 13,000 in back taxes. City workers have mowed the grass for at least five years – seventeen times in 2021. But Harris says that’s not the problem.

“People come and cut the front part of the lot, but they neglect the second part of the lot, it gets very wild,” she said.

She wants to see the trees felled, but it’s a service the city does not provide, and the city is unlikely to appropriate the land. A city spokesperson said a permanent solution should come from the community. A neighbor could apply for the property through the Landbank website. The transfer would probably only cost a dollar. Once the application is accepted, the foreclosure process can begin. Until that happens, Harris says she will continue to do her part.

” It’s discouraging. Because we have always paid our property tax. I’ve always paid mine on time and everyone should be held responsible for their property, ”she says.

There are many vacant lots near Putnam. A city spokesperson says that this square block has more grass than houses.

If you have a nuisance in your neighborhood, email [email protected] to see if we can help you.

Do you see a spelling or grammar mistake in our story? Please include the title when you Click here to report it.

Copyright 2021 WTVG. All rights reserved.