Central Ohioans See Improvements In Houses From Hell

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Central Ohioans are seeing improvements in the area's houses from hell.

In July, NBC 4's Mike Bowersock reported on an abandoned house on Oak Street in Delaware. The home was targeted in fires and vandalism.

Area residents made calls to the city, but, residents said nothing was done to solve the issue.

"That's a nice neighborhood there, decent people in that neighborhood. It's not a real affluent neighborhood and people try, but I think their efforts were being ignored," said Dick McCabe, an area resident.

The neighbors and those who owned nearby property said they thought their hopes were dashed.

"We called you. We saw your houses from hell episodes," said Sarah McCabe, an area resident. "You came out the next day."

NBC 4 also talked to city officials who said they hoped to have the house demolished by the end of the year.

Now, to the relief of the neighbors, the land where the house once stood is now a snow-covered field and the house is gone.

"They were just very, very excited that they were gone," Sarah McCabe said.

A similar situation occurred on Kilbourne Avenue in Blendon Township.

NBC 4 reported on an abandoned home that had become a rotting shelter for feral cats and other animals.

Holly Ollerdisse lived across the street.

"It will be pleasant to look across the street and not see that eyesore type of deal not standing there," Ollerdisse said.

Now, the house is gone.

"Used to be the big house. It was ugly and, like I said, in the past, the cats made it their home everywhere and it's definitely a pretty sight now," Ollderdisse said.

For as much progress as there has been, there is still a lot of work to do.

In the Linden area for example, there is house after house sitting abandoned and rotting.

"I'm tired of looking at this. There's many times I come down into this neighborhood and say, 'What can I do? What can I do to save this house?'" said Nate Wilkins, a Linden-area resident.

Wilkins said he has taken the issue on as his personal passion.

"When I look at these abandoned houses, I just see abandoned houses. What do you see?" Bowersock asked Wilkins.

"I see potential," Wilkins said.

Wilkins spends most of his free time after work each night studying each abandoned house in his neighborhood, compiling files on the history of each home, who owns them and why he thinks they can be saved.

"About two to three house a night, just searching, going through books, doing some research," Wilkins said.

This month, the Greater Linden Area Commission started meeting with Habitat For Humanity and the Columbus Housing Partnership to see what could be done with the homes besides just destroying them, which can take a long time.

Columbus City Council is expected to introduce legislation soon to start issuing fines to negligent owners of abandoned properties.

Is there a blighted property in your area? Tell us about it by posting a comment below.