Homeowners Versus Vacant Houses

Tommy Strawser takes pride in his home and tries to keep it in good shape--but the home across the street could use some help.

 “They're abandoned, they're never taken care of, I killed two rats over there, they looked like cats they wasn’t rats,” says Strawser.  He says three homes in the neighborhood have gotten out of control.  Tall grass and boarded windows make them an eyesore and he says they're hurting his property value.  While some homeowners are upset about this, county officials say there's not a lot they can do about it.  A county spokesman says the Mobile County’s junk ordinance doesn't apply to homes that are just vacant.  According to Mobile County Revenue records none of these property owners are delinquent on their taxes.

 Attempts to contact the property owners were unsuccessful because tax records pointed back to these addresses.  The owner one home, Jerome Burton is awaiting trial for murder in Mobile Metro jail.