COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Everyone wants good neighbors, but some communities can't find them.
Hundreds of neighborhoods are watching white picket fences get replaced with vacant home signs and boards on doors and windows.
Forty code enforcement officers are scouring these neighborhoods, writing reports, cutting grass, and boarding up dangerous homes. From there, the time is ticking to try and get a case from the field to a courtroom.
That can be a long process, sometimes taking years. It's little consolation for the homeowners living around the vacant property.
If the grass gets to the 12-inch mark the city will cut it back. But as far as taking over homes, the city must abide by homeowner laws.
City Attorney Richard Pfeiffer said they have nothing to hide when it comes to abandoned homes and he hopes people do their homework before placing blame at the city's feet.
"I encourage everyone to talk to us, listen to what we have to say, don't preach at us," Pfeiffer said.
He said he thinks the process of reaching out to residents could improve.
"Probably what we can do is a better job of communicating with neighbors, saying, 'Here is what we are doing and what is being done with the law,'" Pfeiffer said.
But Pfeiffer said it's already in motion. His office is part of a zone initiative process where an attorney is assigned to each precinct explaining what they are doing in a legal sense.
When an investigation begins with code enforcement, it takes time.
"When you are talking (about) private property, government can't go in and take it," Pfeiffer said.
That is -- unless laws are changed at the statehouse.
"If the general assembly wants to pass a law that says any property delinquent in tax, government can take to foreclosure and sell it, that would help us," Pfeiffer said.
When asked how confident he is that the city is doing all it can, Pfeiffer responded, "We are doing everything we can as aggressively under the context of the law we have to operate on."
In the meantime, the City of Columbus has one person that has been put in charge of pinpointing vacant properties and hunting down the owner. It's a daunting task with thousands of homes falling into that category.
You can report a nuisance property in your community by calling the Mayor's action line at 614-645-3111.
NBC 4 wants to hear about nuisance properties in your community. Send them to us by emailing stories@nbc4i.com.
For additional information, stay with nbc4i.com and NBC 4 and refresh nbc4i.com -- Where Accuracy Matters.
To submit a story idea or news tip, e-mail us at stories@nbc4i.com.
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