Photos of the home on The Oaks Circle as of Dec. 1

Roxanna Sigler's house next door. Sigler said that the foreclosed home's lawn sometimes grows into her own.

The condition of the house as of Dec. 1.

Ordinances posted on the front door of the house by Edgewood's code enforcement department.

Response from Edgewood Mayor:

"Due to lobbying in Tallahassee by both banks and other financial institutions, the legislature has effectively prevented municipalities from putting in place any real ordinances geared to addressing the ongoing maintenance of these properties, and recovering any related maintenance costs from the property owners. As it stands right now, the city 'can' opt to maintain a foreclosed property if it is deemed to present a public safety issue (Ex. vermin, insect, or other animal issues, dangerous plant overgrowth, or bacteria laden pool,) but essentially does so at it's own cost and risk. The city also becomes potentially liable to the property owner for any damages that 'might' have occurred during or after the city funded cleanup. The real Pandora's box here is that 'if' the city maintains a foreclosed property early in a foreclosure proceeding (i.e. before the bank really has an opportunity to perform a full evaluation of the property), 'any or all' damage inflicted on the property by the previous mortgage holder or even vandals 'could' become a liability of the city.

Unfortunately, there really aren't any good solutions for this growing problem at the moment. Our Code Enforcement group has been charged with the authority to execute cleanups on foreclosed properties that pose a public safety issue, as public safety is always our first consideration. All other potential cleanups will go before the City Council for individualized review and decision.

That's essentially where this issue stands at the moment for all of us in local government."

- Michael Teague
Mayor of the City of Edgewood
Dec. 1

Foreclosed home on The Oaks Circle in Edgewood, Fla. as of Dec. 1.

Foreclosed home on The Oaks Circle in Edgewood, Fla. from Justine Griffin on Vimeo.