Abandoned Houses Keep Code Enforcement Busy

On one side of Sebring Drive are three or four bedroom houses watching Lake Sebring, each marvelously neat, each with well-trimmed lawns and shiny cars.

On the other side of the blacktop, there's another house, vacant. Clearly, at one time, this residence had special qualities: terrazzo floors in the front and back rooms, spacious yards, an outbuilding with a workman's shed.

But today, in the front yard, there are piles that contain derelict bicycles, seven white sacks of aluminum cans that never got to the recycling bin, red plastic gas cans, a weed cutter, a canoe.

A white sheet of paper is taped to the front door, notifying the occupant - in this case, a bank - that a code enforcement hearing is scheduled at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Nine other properties are listed on the form. How many are foreclosures?

"All seven," said April Hartseil, Highlands County code enforcement officer. In fact, her office is handling 467 open cases, and that's not counting the structures inside the municipal limits of Lake Placid, Avon Park and Sebring.

As the economy worsens, the number of people who can't pay their mortgages are also rising. Foreclosure cases are up 26 percent in Highlands County, said Clerk of Courts Bob Germaine. As of Oct. 26, 584 foreclosures had been filed in 2008.

Banks send a letter, asking the homeowner to vacate the house before an eviction notice is filed with the sheriff. But there's a space of time - sometimes longer than a year - between when the homeowner moves out and the bank actually gains legal control of the property.

During that time, the homeowner stops maintaining the property, and the bank still has no legal control. So the grass grows, trash left by the homeowner isn't removed, and neighbors get irate.

"We've had a burst of complaints," Hartseil said.

After a code enforcement officer notifies the homeowner, Hartseil said, Highlands County asks for bids on cleaning the property. The county files a lien on the property to recover the cost.

"The low bidder gets it," she said.

Hartseil showed a photo of one mobile home which was destroyed by fire near Lake Placid. The residents walked away, so the county appeared before Special Magistrate Pam Karlson, and had a bulldozer scrape clean the property.

"If nobody brings the property into compliance, we will," Hartseil said.

FAST FACTS

•Highlands County code enforcement is currently handling 467 open cases.

•Foreclosures are up 26 percent in Highlands County.

•As of last Oct. 26, 584 foreclosures have been filed in 2008.