Who do I pester...

[dsnation]

...to get a property cleaned/condemned/bulldozed?

743 Clifton (I believe) at the corner of Cecile Avenue.  It's abandoned and falling apart.  It has a notice of some such on the door already, but I haven't gotten close enough to see if it's a condemnation notice (There doesn't seem to be a condemnation proceeding in the court records, but I haven't done a terribly exhaustive search).

Basically the property looks like shit and I think there may be some people squatting in it (there's beer bottles and baggies all over the yard).  Aside from calling the cops if I actually see anyone go in or out, where's the best place to start with getting this house addressed?  I know people haven't had a ton of success from the city and county, but I'd like to give it a go.  The taxes are paid up, surprisingly, from an owner in Fayetteville.  I'm going to write to them, but I don't anticipate that having much if any effect.

[triumph]

Fellow buzzer, Lorelei, had a long struggle with a similar house on FS.  There is a thread detailing the trials and tribulations somewhere around here.  She was eventually, successful!!

[lorelei]

Fellow buzzer, Lorelei, had a long struggle with a similar house on FS.  There is a thread detailing the trials and tribulations somewhere around here.  She was eventually, successful!!

True, they eventually bulldozed it, but it took a near act of congress. I don't know where the city line is on Clifton... Are you inside it?  If you are dealing with CoA, best thing to do is go to their new website and make a complaint. Even if you've made 20 before. Now, get all your neighbors (Buzzers!) to do the same. Tell them you have seen homeless people in it and that you are worried about fires. Tell them you see rats. Tell them anything and everything to get someone out there, and then keep making complaints until it is resolved.  It will also help if you do a little digging yourself and find out who the owner is. In my case, the owner died, so once they were able to establish that there was no one to cite, and no one to clean it up, it appears to have been the catalyst behind the demolition.

edited to add: http://web.atlantaga.gov/ocf/violationform.aspx

that's the online complaint form. Get your case # and keep track of it.

If you can post the exact address here, and possibly the owner when you find them, I'm sure we would all be happy to flood their office with complaints.

[JBB]

There's an active code enforcement case on this property... CC-2011-03352

they won't start a new case on that address... just add comments to the current one, maybe.

[lorelei]

There's an active code enforcement case on this property... CC-2011-03352

they won't start a new case on that address... just add comments to the current one, maybe.

Then I would put the case # in the comments section of the reporting form.

Also, how did you find that, because the address doesn't come up when you do a search for prior complaints.

[JBB]

Also, how did you find that, because the address doesn't come up when you do a search for prior complaints.

evidently you and I are using different search parameters

Street No.:  743
Street Name:   Clifton

Search

[dsnation]

There's an active code enforcement case on this property... CC-2011-03352

they won't start a new case on that address... just add comments to the current one, maybe.

Then I would put the case # in the comments section of the reporting form.

Also, how did you find that, because the address doesn't come up when you do a search for prior complaints.

Thanks for that info.  It is CoA, but I was looking in DeKalb (the city line runs though the back of the lots on the easter side of Clifton).  The owner of record is named Zeesther Bush (not kidding) of Fayetteville [100 Shimmering Waters Lane, Fayetteville, GA 30214].  It's a slow day in the office today, so I've already drafted her a letter and am going to take some photos to include.  The lot is a shitshow, so I'm sure code enforcement can demonstrate that they're out of compliance. 

[SteveD]

Lots of buzzers around you dsnation so I for one would be happy to add my name wherever its needed.

That lot is one hell of an eyesore. 

[dsnation]

Lots of buzzers around you dsnation so I for one would be happy to add my name wherever its needed.

That lot is one hell of an eyesore.

Thanks.  Using the info JBB supplied, I talked to Code Compliance and it's due to be reinspected tomorrow.  There are actually 2 active complaints, one tagged as "maintenance" and the other as "highly hazardous."  Since there's no way it can pass an inspection, hopefully it'll move the process along.

Lorelei - do you remember how long it took from inspection to demolition?

[jeffrey]

     Call the Dekalb County Health Department to report 'rats'. They act upon rodent infestations pretty quickly. supply them with the name and address of the owner and any other contact info you may have.
     I have done this with a house in Reynoldstown(reported to Fulton County Health Department in my case) and within weeks they fined the owner $25,000 with $24,750 suspended as long as the property was cleaned up and completely secured for 1 year from the court date..... It's now 2 years later and, other than looking at a boarded up house, we have NOT had any issues with the property. I even have the owners contact info now, so when a branch fell on the house and I notified the owner(a doctor in Boca Raton), she sent men with chain saws over within a few hours of it hitting the house.
     

[dsnation]

     Call the Dekalb County Health Department to report 'rats'. They act upon rodent infestations pretty quickly. supply them with the name and address of the owner and any other contact info you may have.
     I have done this with a house in Reynoldstown(reported to Fulton County Health Department in my case) and within weeks they fined the owner $25,000 with $24,750 suspended as long as the property was cleaned up and completely secured for 1 year from the court date..... It's now 2 years later and, other than looking at a boarded up house, we have NOT had any issues with the property. I even have the owners contact info now, so when a branch fell on the house and I notified the owner(a doctor in Boca Raton), she sent men with chain saws over within a few hours of it hitting the house.
   

Thanks for the tip. 

[lorelei]

Also, how did you find that, because the address doesn't come up when you do a search for prior complaints.

evidently you and I are using different search parameters

Street No.:  743
Street Name:   Clifton

Search

Very funny. You're very funny.

The only difference is that I was trying to add the "street type" (rd. st. etc). Why do they include that drop down selector if the house won't come up if you use it? That is f*cked up.

[lorelei]

Lots of buzzers around you dsnation so I for one would be happy to add my name wherever its needed.

That lot is one hell of an eyesore.

Thanks.  Using the info JBB supplied, I talked to Code Compliance and it's due to be reinspected tomorrow.  There are actually 2 active complaints, one tagged as "maintenance" and the other as "highly hazardous."  Since there's no way it can pass an inspection, hopefully it'll move the process along.

Lorelei - do you remember how long it took from inspection to demolition?

About a year?

[WhitNerd]

They just talked about this on the news and said they have a new program to crack down on abandoned properties.

[Flower Lady]

     Call the Dekalb County Health Department to report 'rats'. They act upon rodent infestations pretty quickly. supply them with the name and address of the owner and any other contact info you may have.
     I have done this with a house in Reynoldstown(reported to Fulton County Health Department in my case) and within weeks they fined the owner $25,000 with $24,750 suspended as long as the property was cleaned up and completely secured for 1 year from the court date..... It's now 2 years later and, other than looking at a boarded up house, we have NOT had any issues with the property. I even have the owners contact info now, so when a branch fell on the house and I notified the owner(a doctor in Boca Raton), she sent men with chain saws over within a few hours of it hitting the house.
   

Unfortunately if you are in CofA the City/Fulton County does squat. This has been an ongoing and open issue at an Ormewood residence for about 8 years now. CofA tried to blame the person calling in who's house has been infested by the neighbors rats. I've been the mediator. It's never been solved, and the rats still infest.