The former owners of the home filed for bankruptcy when health problems overcame them, said neighbor Bernard Bethel. The home’s next owner abandoned the home and left the country. Today, “Not only is [the home] a terrible mess, it’s a fire hazard ?EUR??,,????'??? The backyard pool is lined with weeds ?EUR??,,????'??? The pool is black and can become a breeding place for mosquitoes.?EUR??,,????'?? This is especially a concern during the summer because of the threat of the West Nile virus.

After receiving a returned undeliverable letter to the home in mid-March, city officials learned that it was in foreclosure. The city got in touch with the company in the process of acquiring the property, Fremont-based Home Advantage, which promised to clean up the pool right away. However the city had to contact them again after nothing was done. The company said it would be taken care of at ?EUR??,,????'??the end of the foreclosure process.?EUR??,,????'?? The city then pursued a 48-hour notice of abatement on the grounds that this was a threat to public health.

The foreclosure process often takes four to six months, and during this time work on the house is not permissible. This is why the property in Visalia (and a growing number of other foreclosures in the nation) deteriorated to such an extent.

“This is going to become more of a problem as the economy continues to shift and home sales begin to slow,” Burns said. “We’re going to see more of this, unfortunately, instead of less of it.”

The city can act on some issues that are of ?EUR??,,????'??immediate public concern?EUR??,,????'??, such as overgrown weeds that block the view of traffic or standing water.

Burns said that while going through proper channels can be time consuming and frustrating, due process must be observed.
“That’s one of our tougher ones,” he said.