July 25, 2010

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Protect Your Neighborhood
Abandoned Homes Need Neighborly TLC, Reinfoces Local Stability

Signs of neglect can bring down the rest of the neighborhood... in more ways we can imagine. If your neighbors have abandoned their home and it shows it, read about six ways you and your neighbors can help.

We've all seen it - our neighbors lose a job and that dream home has been abandoned. Grass grows taller, weeds move in, and sometimes even squatters have boldly identified an opportunity. All of these changes affect the integrity of your neighborhood and can threaten the saftey of your homes. With fall approaching, unkept lawns can dry out and consequently, become a potential fire issue.

What can you do to "take back" the safety and character of your neighborhood? Quite a bit. Consider these tips to preserving your neighborhood:

• Talk to Your Neighbors. Communicate with those on each side of the abandoned home...and the homes across the street. Each will agree that the home is an eyesore and has a direct effect on their quality of life. Develop a "maintenance plan" for the home, sharing responsibilities, including grass cutting, weed-wacking, and debris clean-up (papers, advertising flyers, trash, etc.).
• Contact Your Local Homeowners Association. Let them know about the abandonded home inquire about whether the board has established a maintenance plan for abandoned development homes.
• Keep a Vigil Eye. Abandoned homes can attact illegal activities such as squatters and drug dealing. If you view questionable activities, call 9-1-1.
• Trim that lawn. At a minimum, trim the front lawn to give the appearance the home is lived in and maintained. Spraying for weeds? An extra dose on the abandoned lawn can help keep weeds down both in that lawn and yours.
• Vandalism? Contact the County and Sheriff about graffiti or broken windows or screens. If you want to quickly address a graffiti problem, contact the HOA for permission to paint.
• "Greening Ponds"? If ponds are growing algae and appear to be a breeding spot for mosiquitoes, drain the pond or call the health department to inquire about mosquito-eating fish.