The City of Orlando is owed more than $1 million in code enforcement liens and 9 Investigates obtained a list of property owners who have refused to pay up.
Investigative reporter Daralene Jones went searching for them and found many of the properties have been abandoned and boarded up, leaving taxpayers to foot the bill.
“You can see the windows boarded up, how thick the grass is here,” said Elijah Nelson, a Parramore resident.
Nelson has to look at the abandoned house
The city of Orlando recently mowed the yard
“We had homeless people living here in and out all night,” Nelson said. “It was like a party going on in this house right here.”
The property is on a long list 9 Investigates obtained, with more than 3,000 code enforcement liens totaling more than $1 million. And the city is forced to clean up and maintain them because the owners are missing.
“It seems like the city has become a property manager. Is that fair to the rest of the taxpayers?” Daralene Jones asked Orlando Code Enforcement Officer Mike Rhodes.
“No it's not, but at the same time, if you were a taxpayer living next to it, you would want to see the city make that investment,” Rhodes said.
We thought we might be able to track down some of the owners.
But we found so many of the properties are boarded up, some the city forced to demo for safety reasons, leaving empty lots that still have to be maintained.
“Eventually we get the money back,” Rhodes said. “It takes a little time sometimes.”
The city charges 8 percent interest on the fines and the property cannot be sold until the lien is paid. City leaders said in recent years they've been able to collect a third to half of the lien money each year. It’s money that goes into a fund the city now plans to use to help clean up the homeless problem. Nelson is glad because maybe that means now they won't try to take shelter next to his house.
“What they should do is just tear it down and clean it up,” Nelson said.
Investigative reporter Daralene Jones went searching for them and found many of the properties have been abandoned and boarded up, leaving taxpayers to foot the bill.
“You can see the windows boarded up, how thick the grass is here,” said Elijah Nelson, a Parramore resident.
Nelson has to look at the abandoned house
The city of Orlando recently mowed the yard
“We had homeless people living here in and out all night,” Nelson said. “It was like a party going on in this house right here.”
The property is on a long list
“It seems like the city has become a property manager. Is that fair to the rest of the taxpayers?” Daralene Jones asked Orlando Code Enforcement Officer Mike Rhodes.
“No it's not, but at the same time, if you were a taxpayer living next to it, you would want to see the city make that investment,” Rhodes said.
We thought we might be able to track down some of the owners.
But we found so many of the properties are boarded up, some the city forced to demo for safety reasons, leaving empty lots that still have to be maintained.
“Eventually we get the money back,” Rhodes said. “It takes a little time sometimes.”
The city charges 8 percent interest on the fines and the property cannot be sold until the lien is paid. City leaders said in recent years they've been able to collect a third to half of the lien money each year. It’s money that goes into a fund the city now plans to use to help clean up the homeless problem. Nelson is glad because maybe that means now they won't try to take shelter next to his house.
“What they should do is just tear it down and clean it up,” Nelson said.
WFTV
