Only on FOX: A bad situation is getting worse for a Feltonville family.
Problems with a vacant house next door are forcing them to pick up and move.
But, before they did, they called FOX 29's Chris O'Connell out to try and get results.
This is the problem: A tree is growing from inside the crumbling house next door on West Thelma Street. Because of this, Maribel Blas is littered with problems.
When it rains, it rains in her living room, which has led to mold problems. Gaping cracks in the outside wall bring bugs and rodents.
The city's Department of Licenses and Inspections came out to inspect the property in March but said it wasn't dangerous enough to be torn down.
Blas has spent the last four years and thousands of dollars making the same repairs over and over. Now, she's giving up.
She has already rented a new place and, soon, the abandoned house next door will be joined by another.
"We are walking away. I'm leaving the mortgage, leaving the house," Blas said. "It's nothing I can do. I can't fix what L&I can't fix. They haven't fixed this house, how can I fix mine?"
Since the owner hasn't paid taxes on the property since 1997, the cost of tearing down the abandoned house next door will fall on taxpayers.
We tried getting in touch with L&I on this very property as far back as June 19. So far, we're still waiting on a call back, O'Connell reported Monday night.
Friday, May 17 2013 11:44 PM EDT2013-05-18 03:44:01 GMT
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