NORTH FORT MYERS, Fla. — After years of hoping for relief, a North Fort Myers neighbor said he’s still stuck next door to a trash- and debris-filled property.
Fox 4’s North Fort Myers Community Correspondent, Austin Schargorodski, checked back in to see why an auction for the property was canceled.
Watch to see why the nightmare home next door was taken off auction:
In August, you could see the yard of the property completely full of trash. Neighbor Tim Price has been living next to it for years, dealing with groups of people living in the home.
He said it’s caused his wife health issues from toxic burning, sewage leaks, rats, and even seeing someone walking around the yard with what appeared to be a gun.
Now, according to the Lee County Clerk of Courts, someone paid the taxes, which canceled the scheduled auction this month. The clerk's office said that happens through a tax certificate, where a person can step in and cover the tax bill, and if they keep paying over several years, they eventually have the option to take ownership.
But, the clerk said paying those taxes doesn’t make them the owner, and it doesn’t make them responsible for the trash, the debris, or the code violations stacked against the property.
Schargorodski is still working to find out where this property stands in the legal process, including whether it’s moving through probate, or who even paid the taxes.
For now, neighbor Tim Price said he’s disappointed. He hoped to buy the property himself and finally put an end to the problems next door.
