Residents Want 'Eyesore' Demolished

ATLANTA — Residents of a southwest Atlanta neighborhood say they're living next to wrecked and abandoned houses that the city needs to tear down.

Abandoned Homes Left In Dissaray

Derry Lane has several boarded up and deserted houses. At one of the homes, both the roof and exterior walls have collapsed.

Channel 2 Action News reporter Diana Davis spoke with residents, who said the city has done nothing.

When Davis arrived in the neighborhood, she said a house near Derry Avenue and Ralph David Abernathy was the first thing she noticed while driving down the street.

Renee Richardson has lived on Derry Avenue for 20 years. She said the city has ignored repeated calls for help from her and other residents.

"We leave messages, telephone numbers, … nobody has contacted me or my neighbors down the street. We just know we're to the end of it now … something needs to be done," said Richardson.

It's not just the appearance of the wrecked home that worries neighbors. They also said it has become a health hazard.

"It's a dangerous situation. Rats, roaches or whatever else. Harboring street people have been using it for their stuff," said Richardson.

Davis went to the city of Atlanta's director of code compliance for answers. Kevin Bean admitted the house at 1616 isn't the only problem on the street.

"We have several different properties on the same street we are addressing," Bean said.

When asked why the house has been allowed to sit for so long, Bean said the city is not sure who owns it.

Davis checked records that seem to show the house is now bank owned. But the city said until it is sure, it can't go after anyone to demolish the house.

"With all the fraud that goes on, properties actually change hands more often than you might think," said Bean.

Late Tuesday, Bean told Davis that the city is sending inspectors to check the house.

Bean couldn't say if or when the house would be demolished.

WSBTV