Things I don't understand
Front doors left open all day. There was a red frame house on Giddens east of 15th Street where the front door was open (no screen). People came and went and hung out. Flies, Mosquitos and other creepy crawlies.
Car windows left open/rolled down, sometimes over night. Rain, cats urinating and theft. I have seen several in the neighborhood repeatedly this way.
House siding left open for 4 to maybe 6 months. I drive by this house alot
Photo taken in November.
Taken recently. That is a cat peeking his head out from the interior of the house. I would think the owner would be concerned about rain damaging his plaster and having mold on the lower interior walls. He and his family lives there. 
34 comments:
That house has had missing siding for over a year, I moved in the neighborhood May 2005 and I don't think I have ever seen that house in a finished state.
Instead of bitching about the siding on a public forum why not go up knock on the door and ask if the owner needs some help with his house.
I must be missing the point here. If someone lives in a house I don't see what the concern is. If the house is vacant or for sale then I think there is potential for problems. I leave my front door open all the item and I leave the windows in my car down and from time to time I leave my house windows ajar. I have even been known to leave valuable items outside on accident and have never experienced any problems. I'm not afraid of theft or valdalism. I feel confident and comfortable that I live in a safe neighborhood and I have awesome neighbors who keep a watchful eye.
Yeah, I don't get the whole point of this one. Whose business is it that someone's windows are down or they leave their door open?? Maybe you can try to get them on
the no fly list next time. You can't pressure code enforcement to do anything until they are able to concentrate when they are done working with the gangs to force old Tampa residents out of valuable property ....
If you're trying to say it's drug traffic just say it. You're just trying to get code enforcement out there on mold and other dealios. I don't get it. Can't you just not look? Or better yet; like the other poster said, go over and offer your help. That is your neighbor, correct?
Public ridicule of ones neighbor is unsavory. With no knowledge of the individual's situation you've posted photographs and condemnation. Granted, we would love every house in our neighborhood to be perfect. There's no doubt a year is a long time to leave a house in this state, but is this really the place to DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT?
This blog has turned into a forum for the laughable, self-superior degredation of EVERYONE else.
Looks like a cute kitty peering out, at least the bad residents living there are animal lovers, are they really so terrible? The poster drives by the house a lot so probably not an immediate next door or across the street neighbor.
If that is the case, why care what you don't have to actually look at day after day if you live blocks away? If this house is such an eyesore and problem, surely those that are truly the most effected are those living right there in the immediate vicinity.
I've had complaints made on my property (in my opinion un-warranted) from folks that live 4 maybe 5 blocks from me but I suppose there will always be those type anywhere you live that try to make it their business to stir up unnecessary trouble or problems for others. I'm speaking of complaints that are not life threatened or altering, just little stuff that doesn't really affect others to such an extent so don't get me wrong.
I agree with the person who said, go over there and talk to the home owner to find out what the problem is if it bothers you so much. You might find out something worthy and positive instead of negative for complaints.
I've lived near this house for over 10 years. It has been in an awful state as long as I can remember. I DO know the owner has been working on it for at least 8 years and also know that his neighbors HAVE approached him personally to offer their help. He doesn't want it. Some neighbors even suggested that he join the Sem Hts Hit Team, which is a group of neighbors that get toghether and help each other out. He wasn't interested in that either, from what I understand. And it's not just the missing siding that the blog master is remarking about. Over the years this guy has stored unoperative cars, eternal scaffolding, weeds grown as high as the 2nd story, construction debris which sat so long it became weed sculpture, the list is endless.
So what happens when neighbors are tired of looking at an eyesore such as this, make attempts to actually HELP the homeowner fix it up, only to be turned away and have even more added to the eyesore? This place didn't need for neighbors to report it to code, even a near-sighted code enforcement officer cannot possibly miss this driving by.
I even heard that the overgrowth and unop cars became a haven for rats, which not only lived there, but populated the neighbors yards as well. Nice. Before you blast the blogger, consider this, would you like your kids playing in the yard next to a house whose property breeds rodents? Rodents which know no boundaries of property lines and will just as easily travels over to other homes and spread their germs and feces? I totally wouldn't blame the neighbors for being upset.
Why do some of you condemn the blogmaster for commenting about this, accusing him of "outing" this person and assuming no one has ever talked to the homeowner about it?Ask first, then accuse. But you all would rather shoot first and ask questions later.
And to anony who stated:
"This blog has turned into a forum for the laughable, self-superior degredation of EVERYONE else."
My answer to you is: Then don't read it! Go somewhere else! No one is forcing you to log on and read this blog.
Good Lord you people are annoying.
Anon 10:37 you must have some powerful mojo to keep the thieves away when you leave your windows down. Does that same mojo work against tomcats who spray and Florida's infamous tropical insects?
Years ago this owner was offered help painting the house, long before it got to the place it is now. It has been nicknamed The House of Perpetual Scaffolding. He refused all help. He has been on codes list long enough to have incurred almost $300.000 in fines, which, of course will not ever be paid. In the past when code would raise a fuss, he would do a little something and move the scaffolding to another place in the yard. Over the years it has just deteriorated. He does things from time to time just to piss people off. Dug a trench once, left it for weeks, open for someone to fall into. Children live in the house with no siding. How comfortable is that with the lath being the outside wall? If it has ac and heat the Teco bill must be astronomical
the photos of this house do not really show the sorry ass state that it's in...and has been in the six years i've lived here....and the ten years my other neighbors have had to look at it. and yes, i actually live near him. he thumbs his nose at the system. it's ridiculous. he also has (or had) a property that was worse in sulphur springs. the house is not even habitable upstairs.
OMG Cartman, Why the heck didn't I think of that! Let me grab my husband and run over and see if we can help him fix the house. ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME!
This house has been this bad or worse for the 15 years I have been here. They have young children (Under 2 years old living there) There are live electrical wires exposed to the outside elements/weather. The city of Tampa has a responsibility to "police" housing standards. If not for the Jackasses living there, they at least need to do it for their children.
As a neighbor, I am sick of having this crap hole next to me. I have had my house appraised to refinance when interest rates were low. The value of my home took a hit as a direct result of the crap near me!
DON'T TELL ME IT IS NONE OF MY BUSINESS. IT AFFECTS THE QUALITY OF MY LIFE. I LOOK AT THIS CRAP EVERY DAY. YOU MAY THINK IT IS AN INNOCENT ISSUE BUT IT IS NOT! TRY SELLING A HOME WHEN THIS IS YOUR NEIGHBOR. Personally, I feel that this man should have been arrested a long time ago! There is no excuse in the world that can justify this lifestyle. I am to the point that I am now consulting with attorney to sue both the homeowner and the city of Tampa. According to my attorney, this owner now has well over $200,000. in fines accumulated against the property. For almost a year this man had an open trench across the front yard. He is sick! The city has the right to bring this property up to code, but they could give a rats A for the children living in this condition. I don't feel safe near here, I will not let my children go anywhere near there, it is unfit for habitation. Curtis Lane has done absolutely nothing to better the property but make the owner paint the front door. It is a joke and the city should pay if they will not uphold the laws they are supposed to enforce.
I will say this, due to attention from code they did have someone from family services visit and check out the living conditions. I guess they do not live in the entire house and the part they do live in must be passable. It is actually divided into two places, one right and one left. Code had done all it can. I am not a fan of code for a variety of reasons, however, I do know as I have followed this personally, that it is running fines, and it is in the lap of the legal system and that is where it falls down. This time it is not a code issue. The legal system that backs up code is awful! This is just one example!
Taking pictures of people's homes and posting them here is ridiculous. I catch you outside of my house with your camera and we will have a talk. This is the most disgusting blog I have ever seen. You moved in to this neighborhood. You knew who your neighbors would be. Take your busy body ways into one of the many deed restricted communities surrounded by the high walls to keep all of the undesireables out.
Anon 6:15. Where do you live? I'll come by and take a pic.
oh, a tough guy. i live at 215 w. mohawk. bring a cheap camera that you won't mind having shoved up yer arse.
Ill take a picture and kick your a$$.
What are you going to do about it.
Nothing you punk a$$ bitch.
You want to know why I have resorted to violence?
Because of crap like this.
A year ago when I talked to the code lady the property was closer to 500k in fines.
$500,000 in fines.
They pursued this guy aggressively, her and the guy that does criminal charges and almost torn down his other home.
They wrote two different sets of criminal charges on this guy.
The judge plea bargained the first charges.
I have kept detailed records of this house because I want to make a presentation to the mayor.
Believe me, the officers involved pursued this guy and took no prisoners.
The Judge let this guy go.
I am WELL aware of the history here as every day I have to look at the plywood kitty who lives in the walls and the house that is busting at the seams.
I live the next block down and all my neighbors want to kill this guy.
I am not mad at the officers but furious at the system for allowing this to happen.
And I will kick anyones a$$ who dares to come here after dark.
I could hide your body in the walls of this home and no one would even notice or be able to smell the body because it already stinks!!
I may be gay, but I am one big gay man and I am sick of this house.
I can throw down like we are at the WWF.
And I am more than willing to gather a group and head down to see the mayor.
I was promised results 4 years ago.
Hey Mohawk! Like someone said before - if you don't like what you read here, go the hell away! No one's twisting your arm to read this blog anymore than anyone's arm got twisted to buy the house that they did.
I feel for those that live within eyesight of this house.
"You moved in to this neighborhood. You knew who your neighbors would be." Yeah, so what are you saying, the neighbors that moved in around this dude are psychic? Like they knew this guy would take the rest of his life to work on his house and keep it in a perpetual state of disrepair? Maybe these folks bought in here stupidly thinking that this house was going to be reno'd eventually, like say in the next year or two, to be reasonable, and there would be a nice house to look at and feel proud when theyre friends come to visit.
But what? it's been like 10 years? are you fucking kidding me? Rats?????? What??? Gross. Good thing I'm not his neighbor. I'd wait til no one's home and give it a nice little dose of kerosene followed by a matchstick dessert and we could have a big neighborhood weenie roast!
Sorry to the guy whose house was de-valued because of being in the vicinity of this shitshack. And sorry to the kids that live in this shell who have to grow up there and always be embarrassed to bring theyre friends over.
Oh, and by the way - why is it that you idiots think that just because this isn't a deed restricted community it gives people the right to let theyre homes look like crap for all to have to look at. Don't you think your neighbors have a right to enjoy what they see outside theyre window?
Who cares if you are gay? Why is that important? Nobody threatened to hurt anyone. I mentioned that I would confront anyone who I spotted taking pictures of my house...as is my right.
Everybody loves to talk about their rights until somebody else brings up theirs.
Silly gays.
Who cares if you are gay? Why is that important? Nobody threatened to hurt anyone. I mentioned that I would confront anyone who I spotted taking pictures of my house...as is my right.
Everybody loves to talk about their rights until somebody else brings up theirs.
Silly gays.
I like gays. They keep their houses nice.
I'd rather be surrounded by gays 360˚ than have one asshole neighbor like you.
Silly asshole.
As I understand it, the guy bought a money pit house wherein he immediately became in over his head, trying to fix it after work and weekends and thne later raise a family. I can sympathize with that.
However, there are things he has done where he has shot himself in the foot. He looks like he was scraping the whole large house in fits and spurts. Over 9 years. A more advisable tactic would have been to have worked on one side at a time completely. Scrape, prime and paint each side first before moving onto the next side. He delayed finishing the scraping at times for vines to grow up covering some of area he worked on.
Second, when someone rips off the outside of a house, it might be a good idea to cover it with some tarps to prevent rain from getting in. Instead of ripping the whole upper top of the front, rip of one half.
Also, sometimes people make unfortunate bad decisions and sometimes it is just better to cut their losses.
Rather non-judgmental musings of the blog until all the venom started flowing. The toxic responses are about as deadly to a sense of community as the house in question.
I think the blogger needs to stop allowing anonymous posts. I'm certain if there was an identity attached there would be more civility. (and since I don't want attacked I will avail myself of the anonymous cop-out)
"Hi, I live in Seminole Heights where neighbors tear each other apart on a faceless blog"....what a great marketing plan for our community.
On a public street you can take a picture of any house you want. It's your right gay or straight.
The " Thing I don't understand" is why didn't the original poster put up the how story.
This is nuts, how hard is it to follow the minimum standard this city has. It is not like they set the bar very high......mow your grass, don't put the car up on blocks, keep the paint on the house, etc. I could understand if it was "everyone must have expensive golf course turf, no grass can be over 2 inches, etc" For GOD'S SAKE what is the grass requirement, 18 inches! you have to be kidding me. Get off your fat arse and keep the front of your house clean. I just hope that one day someone will have the courage to stand up to this city's worst mayor ever and sue her skirt off! She talked a good game last election and has done nothing since she took office. Her and her high dollar, useless posse should go! With Tampa being named the dirtiest city in America you would think she would do something to improve the city. Where has she been the last 4 years!
Last time I checked, it was not illegal to take pictures of anyone's home. Property appraisers do it all the time on my street.
Insane
You have a cat sitting in the house.
Then you have four posters defending this clown and his "rights"
What about my rights to live on a clean street.
The entire neighborhood knows the situation with this house.
I too feel like I want to resort to violence over properties.
Roosters, Shi! bombs, trash, whats next?
A house full of sex offenders?
Nevermind...thats happened too.
some of ya'll need a little yoga break...who ever this fella is with the house must be in some terrible form of mental state or emotional..I can not undersand what would cause such sad and ultimately self destructive behavior but I truly feel for him and his children, the children especially. UNDOUBTEDLY i feel fo rthose forced to live with this insanity. As for the city this should of been presented on burning billboard raised at city hall with day glow lettering.A law with no standards of enforcement is just a suggestion at best. what can we do to shine a light on those who fail us (and frankly the family who live in this health hazard) - youtube videos..letter campaign phone flooding calls to news channels?etc?
Our neighborhood is known for caring enough about problems to develop action plans and petition the mayor or her staff for change.
We only get violent when we are not heard.
Kiss my big gay a$$.
I will stand outside your house and anyone elses with my camera so I can record the house of perpetual easement for the mayor to see.
Since she is the one who is responsible for this.
Its only after David brings media attention do we get results.
We take pictures of people's houses all the time because they have a great paint color scheme or they have some unique architecture, etc. Geez, I hope noone comes out to shoot us for that.
I live near this house and agree with Shrekswife, that all the facts aren't known. I can understand buying a house and getting in over your head. But at some point, it does seem like you'd realize that it's too much for you and your family to deal with. It doesn't seem safe to bring children up in this environment. Maybe, the man still has visions of what this house will look like when it's finished dancing in his head, but right now it's a tragedy.
Hug it out!
Y'all bat shit crazy.
You talk about how posting pictures is wrong and an invasion of privacy then turn around and post your adress. Brilliant really.
All this makes me want to get an old car and put it up on blocks in my front yard.
Here is a thought. This owner cares so little for his children now that he will rais them in this environment. What will he do when they are older. They will roam the streets like thugs terrorizing the neighborhood.
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