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.

Edgewood's City Council's current policy

"The issue of foreclosed homes was not discussed again at further city council meetings. Instead, the council decided that these homes will be decided upon on a case-by-case basis. Unless a particular house causes imminent danger or health issues to nearby residents, the council will not step in."

"The particular house on The Oaks Circle has since been maintained."

- Sandra Modigh,

City Clerk of the City of Edgewood

Nov. 31

City of Edgewood, meeting minutes, Sept. 15

City of Edgewood, meeting minutes, Sept. 15

Above is the condition of the foreclosed home on The Oaks Circle in Edgewood as of Sept. 17. Neighbors periodically maintain the house when the plant life grows over into their own property. - Justine Griffin

City to take over foreclosed home maintenance costs

City to take over foreclosed home maintenance costs

By: Justine Griffin

Sept. 17, 2009

EDGEWOOD – Roxanna Sigler has happily lived in her home in the 5000 block of The Oaks Circle in Edgewood for 18 years.

But for the last eight months, every time she opens a window or walks outside into her front lawn, she can’t help but cringe at the eyesore of a home right next to her own.

The house next door is currently plagued with an overgrown lawn and shrubbery, broken windows and a mosquito-infested pool.

“It just looks awful,” Sigler said. “We just remodeled our own home this year, and now we have to look at that next door everyday.”

The house, located at 5012 The Oaks Circle in Edgewood, has long been abandoned. Because the house was foreclosed on months ago, the responsibility of who is to maintain the home is now in question.

The condition of the abandoned ranch-style house was brought to the attention of the Edgewood City Council on Tuesday, Sept. 15, where the council began discussing the city’s role in upkeep on homes abandoned due to foreclosure within the city limits.

“There’s no good solution in this sort of case,” said Mayor Michael Teague. “The unfortunate part for us is that we get stuck with it.”

Although the house on The Oaks Circle is among the first of its kind within the city of Edgewood, the council is looking to define its role in dealing with homes that fall into foreclosure.

“If the resident can’t pay for it or has since moved out, all that’s left is the city to try to maintain it,” said Laurie Botts, the real estate division manager for the city of Orlando.

According to Botts, the most likely case is for the city’s code enforcement division to take over maintaining the home until the bank is able to sell the property.

But this can be a long and tedious process, she said.

“City government can end up mowing the yard of a home for months and months while it’s still in the foreclosure process,” Botts said.

Botts said she’s seen many cases like the one in Edgewood recently throughout Orange County since the downturn in the economy and ultimately the real estate market.

According to Teague, Orange County allotted $3 million within its annual budget for the maintenance of foreclosed homes this fiscal year.

Although Edgewood’s code enforcement division received a 200 percent increase in funds this year, Teague said he doesn’t see the $4,500 budgeted for the division being used in many cases like this.

“We’re hoping that this is an isolated case, but obviously something we should prepare for,” Teague said.

This is the first year that the City of Edgewood opened a permanent code enforcement position. This city official, which is not a police officer, usually sends out notices to homes and neighborhoods when a complaint is received or if a house is beginning to look unkempt, Teague said.

“Most cases are resolved immediately when they receive a notice,” he said.

Sigler thinks otherwise.

“I’ve contacted code enforcement many times about the house. You can see the notices posted to their door, but still nothing’s been done about it for months,” she said.

Sigler said that another neighbor has mowed the abandoned home’s lawn multiple times once the lawn and plants had grown into his own yard.

Members of the council discussed their plan of action of how they wish to proceed with the house on The Oaks Circle.

Council member Neil Powers said that city will deal with these houses on a case-by-case basis.

“If a house has become a health or public safety threat, then yes, we will most definitely come in and clean it up,” Powers said.

According to Powers, the city will outsource to private, bonded contractors for maintenance of these homes.

Teague said that the city will pay for the maintenance through funds in their undesignated reserve account and not from the code enforcement budget.

“We’re basically just loosing money in these instances since we know the banks won’t pay us back and usually the residents are gone or can’t afford the services themselves,” Teague said.

But the outward appearance of these foreclosed houses isn’t just affecting the aesthetics of city, but those who live nearby as well.

“These abandoned houses with broken windows and four-inch high lawns are bringing down the property value of the houses around them, and even the neighborhood it’s in,” Botts said. “The people living around these houses are the ones who are hurting the most.”

Teague said that the main reason the city government is eating up these costs is because of these nearby residents.

“It’s not fair to those who live around these houses to have to see that and face the consequences each day,” Teague said.

Sigler just hopes someone will do something about it soon.

“It’s good to know that they’re at least starting to talk about it,” she said.

The council did not come to a decision at the meeting on Tuesday. The house on The Oaks Circle will remain without lawn maintenance until further notice.

The Edgewood City Council will discuss these plans further at the next scheduled meeting on Oct. 20 at 6:30 p.m. at the Edgewood City Hall. The public is welcome to attend the meeting, located at 405 Larue Avenue.