Neighbors living near the remnants of a burned-out home in Cleveland are frustrated the city hasn't torn the house down, more than three years after it first went up in flames.
The two-story house sits near the corner of Fulton Road and Storer Avenue on the city's southwest side.
The blaze gutted the interior and the majority of the roof is gone.
“Everybody is waiting to see what is going on with the house,” said neighbor Norma Silba.
Silba lives right across the street from the house. She said she’s sick of looking at an eyesore.
“Ugly, over there. You know what I mean. Everybody wants it torn down. I don’t like it. Nobody likes to see the house like that,” Silba said.
Another nearby resident said he contacted Cleveland City Hall about the house but hasn't received any answers.
“For the neighborhood's sake, it's horrible looking,” Irvine said.
County records show the house was sold several years ago, but the owner could not be reached for comment.
Irvine is concerned about property values and wants action.
“Flatten it and improve the neighborhood. It just drives the neighborhood down. It looks ugly and they should tear it down, it looks terrible out the window, it’s a fire trap. I’ll tell you what’s annoying about the house, when it’s windy, parts of the roof blow all over the place,” Irvine said.
Neighbors also said the house is a haven for rodents and other animals.
“Not only rodents but opossums, raccoons, things like that,” Irvine said.
City of Cleveland spokesperson Dan Williams said the house is condemned and on the list of vacant homes to be demolished, but couldn't give a time frame of when that would happen because he said it's a very long list.
