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Highlands Today

Vacant homes

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Judith Hinkle

Published: October 28, 2009

Regarding your recent article, "Nobody's Problem," like Mr. Turberville's, our neighborhood -- just a few blocks away -- is at the start of the same kind of vacant home mess.

Great neighbors were more or less forced out of their meticulously-tended home due to the financial debacle of a number of banks.

Sadly, this small showplace now looks exactly like nobody cares because it has joined the ranks of "Nobody's Problem." This is a very false, though catchy name. This is everybody's problem.

When the undesirables pass by these homes, it is an open invitation to vandalism at the least.

To expect code enforcement to care for all these catastrophes is completely unfair and uncalled for. The banks have been handed help on a silver platter.

It is their responsibility to keep these places looking decent. They are adding insult to injury by neglecting their accountability for, at the very least, the yard maintenance of these homes.

If they are "losing money on the deal," they can look to their own financing staff, but the government has made available millions of dollars of our money for their "bailout' and they have used only a fraction.

Yes, it is our money - taxes are supplying these loans and handouts but our neighbors and neighborhoods are suffering.

There are plenty of lawn and yard care businesses in Highlands County that would be grateful for the work. Code enforcement should not have this dumped in their laps.

Irresponsibility, unreliability, inconsistency, and yes, even untrustworthiness can be laid at the banking industry's door.

Judith Hinkle
Sebring

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