DETROIT – Residents on Detroit’s west side say conditions around a vacant home on their block are turning into a “hazardous nuisance,” with overgrown grass, trash and pests impacting nearby properties.
Neighbors on the 12000 block of Stahelin Avenue contacted Local 4, saying they’ve made multiple complaints to the city but feel little has changed.
“This grass, this is terrible,” said Eloise Gilmore, who lives next to the vacant property. Neighbors say the high grass behind the empty house has created a habitat for animals and contributed to other issues.
“Groundhogs, rats, foul odor, trash, garbage,” said Debbie Henderson, who lives on the other side of the home. Henderson told Local 4 the problem has become a major burden.
“A big headache,” Henderson said when asked how much the situation has affected her. “Nobody won’t do anything about it.”
Both women said they’ve repeatedly contacted the city for help, but the issues — including what they describe as ongoing pest activity and neglected conditions — have continued.
“It’s frustrating, because when I ask for help, I don’t get any,” Henderson said.
Gilmore also said she’s seen someone come to the property, but she’s unsure whether anything is being addressed.
“There’s a gentleman that’s been over here twice. When you try to say something to him, he says, ‘Me speak no English,’” Gilmore said. “But then when you say something, he’ll start laughing. So, I don’t know. It’s a mess.”
Neighbors say the conditions have gotten so bad they no longer feel comfortable spending time in their backyards.
“I want that house taken care of,” Henderson said. “The rats gone. The grass cut,” she said.
Local 4 contacted Detroit’s Building Safety Engineering and Environmental Department (BSEED). Chief Enforcement Officer Arthur Rushin said the city has received complaints and has been issuing citations.
“We received the complaints, and we have been writing tickets on the property for the last three months,” Rushin said.
According to BSEED, $1,500 in blight tickets have been issued against the property owner so far. Rushin said if violations continue, the city can coordinate with another department to address the overgrowth.
“What will happen, once we’ve written so many tickets on this property, we will engage with another city department, and they will come out and cut the grass,” he said.
City staff said that if issues persist, the matter can be escalated to the Law Department.
Residents can report similar property issues through the Improve Detroit app.
If there’s a problem you’d like Local 4 to look into, you can also contact the Local 4 Help Desk.