Neighbors fed up with man's junk-filled yard in Orlando

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Residents in a small Orlando neighborhood are fed up with a home that has racked up thousands in fines due to junk and cars covering the lot.

Channel 9's Jeff Deal went to the West Robinson Street home, where stripped down cars, rusted motorcycles and auto parts sit littered behind a locked fence.

WFTV first reported on the home last year and learned it has racked up 75 code violations in the past 15 years.

Deal learned the homeowner has been written up for "junk cars and parts", running an "auto repair shop" and even for having a "goat" tied up on the property.

Since Channel 9's story first aired, neighbors say some of the junk has been moved from one part of the yard, but the property is still being used as a scrap yard and they want it cleaned up.

"It's still a junk yard," said neighbor Codi Galford. "They may have cleaned it out, taken some stuff out. It's still a junk yard."

Deal found the home now has nearly $400,000 in liens and the owner is listed as an estate in Georgia.

Neighbors said there's a man who operates the junk yard and towing business at all hours of the night and they can't understand why nothing has been done.

A code enforcement official told Channel 9 at last check the city has about $20 million in unpaid liens on the books. The city can also seize property for unpaid liens if it's not homesteaded.

The junk yard property is not homesteaded and continues to rack up fines of $150 a day, Deal said.

The city couldn't say why it has not gone after the house, but a code enforcement official said the city has to pay off mortgages on homes it takes.

In many cases, it would lose money by seizing a house since a lot of homes are under water.

WFTV