Neighborhood Nuisance: Vacant eyesore troubles disabled neighbors

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - On Barrow St. there’s a vacant, overgrown eyesore that’s been troubling neighbors for years.

So much so, that they’ve named the home’s backyard “the jungle”. The home has garnered attention before, as 13abc has covered the property previously.

Kevin Perrine and his wife have lived next door for 18 years. They both are visually impaired and say they don’t feel comfortable in their backyard.

" There are animals coming across through the fence, and there are weeds and stuff that we have to remove, which means more yardwork, more using lawnmowers, and stuff so it’s gas money and other things like that,” said Perrine. ” We can’t come out at night because of the animals that come from over there. Like squirrels and rats and snakes. We’re constantly cutting them up with our lawn more when they come over.“

Another neighbor said they have called the city numerous times over the years, and when they confront the owner, they get nowhere.

Dennis Kennedy, the City’s Urban Beautification Commissioner, said neighbors need to continue to reach out about the property.

” It’s not tax delinquent, the property owners are paying the taxes. We haven’t been out there a significant amount of times to do any sort of nuisance abatement work, so it’s kind of flying just below the radar where it’s not on our radar to provide routine maintenance,” said Kennedy.

Kennedy said continuing to reach out will emphasize the need for them to get something done. “Those requests for service that would come in would drive that up a little bit for a better review. Say, if someone called in 10 times a year about this property, then maybe we should look at this as something we should provide maintenance for,” said Kennedy.

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