Nothing can be done about Pittsburgh-area hoarder house, leaders say

PLUM, Pa. (KDKA) — A hoarding situation has escaped the walls of a home in Plum Borough, spilling outside for the whole neighborhood to see.

Various items have been piling up on the property of the homeowner on Shelbourne Drive in Plum

"The property is an absolute mess," neighbor Tom DeMarco said.

The front door of the home is blocked with items and the driveway is filled all the way out to the road with items that include chairs, carpet rolls, a busted TV and an exercise bike.

"It's an eyesore," neighbor Debbie Wilson said. "Disgusting to look at. I keep the front blinds of my home closed."

And that is just the front yard. The junk has spilled into the backyard and side of the house.

"They don't like the view," homeowner Janice Stemler said. "It's not good for the neighborhood, which is understandable."

KDKA-TV's Jennifer Borrasso: "This is all your stuff that you..."

Stemler: "Resell."

Neighbors said they have complained at borough council meetings and lodged complaints. They said it isn't just an eyesore anymore.

"I'm afraid of flammable things and containments over there, things that could catch on fire," Wilson said.

"It's hard for me to believe that some kind of code can't be enforced," DeMarco said.

Plum's mayor stopped by the property on Tuesday and said the borough has tried a lot, including code enforcement, local police, Allegheny County and tickets. But nothing is working.

"We are stuck," Plum Mayor Harry Schlegel. "We are frustrated. We want to help her and the community, but we can't. We don't have any jurisdiction to go out there and just take her property."

Stemler admitted that she does need help.

"I'm hoping to get it cleaned up soon," she said. "Nothing is going on. I need help. That's a lot of stuff."

But neighbors are losing hope.

"I feel it's hopeless because I really think this is never going to get cleaned up," Wilson said. "It's going to be years. They've told us it's not a quick fix."

Neighbors said they feel for the homeowner, who has lived there for 30 years. They said they have offered help, but they are always turned down.

Plum's mayor said Allegheny County's Area Agency on Aging is aware of this situation but can only help if Stemler asks for it.