NEW ORLEANS — An abandoned house in Lakeview neighborhood is facing fines nearing $600k. For nearly two decades neighbors have been fighting for the house to be demolished.
The house at 5700 Vicksburg has sat abandoned since Hurricane Katrina and for 18 years it's been a neighborhood problem, but finally the city is taking action and it's possible the house could soon be demolished.
In May we learned this abandoned house on Vicksburg Street in Lakeview is now home to rats, possums and anyone else looking for shelter, and residents say they're concerned for the safety of their kids.
Neighbor Michelle Chauvin said, "We have possums roaming everywhere in the neighborhood as well as the rats, there's mosquito issues."
While Councilman Joe Giarrusso told Eyewitness News, "The property has had... trash problems, debris, possums, mosquitos, all sorts of health issues and now it's about levelling it and making sure those health and sanitary problems go away."
The councilman says initially code enforcement sent the homeowner letters, ordering them to clean things up, but those requests he says fell on deaf ears.
"You've just had somebody who has skirted the system, skirted the rules for such a long time, it's not fair to the surrounding neighbors," said Giarrusso.
According to the city back in 2018 the owner was found guilty of six violations and ordered to pay $2,710. Then in 2021 the owner was again found of four violations and ordered to pay $2,920. Fast forward to today the owner was found guilty of six violations and ordered to pay another $2,710.
Giarrusso said, "The city had a hearing, fined the owner a number of different things and then said if you don't fix it within 31 days then we're going to go to the next step with is a daily fines hearing. And that's what the city did."
The councilman says the owner now faces daily fines upwards of $3,000. Over six months, the owner is looking at a $547,575 fine.
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