INDIANAPOLIS -- A west side homeowner is thankful a blighted property in her neighborhood is finally cleaned up.
Yvonne Perry said people have been using a vacant home at 2110/2112 Winfield Avenue as their garbage can, dumping trash and yard debris for months.
“I don’t have a lot of money, but I do believe the neighborhood can be pretty,” said Perry.
Perry said the debris has been attracting rodents, including raccoons.
“I don’t do rodents,” said Perry. “We have a crew of raccoons. They’re as big as me.”
Perry contacted Call 6 Investigates after she said she had no luck with the health department and Mayor’s Action Center.
Call 6 Investigates contacted city code enforcement and the health department on November 3.
“I had been trying for a month, but after you contacted them, they were out within the next 15 minutes taking pictures,” said Perry. “They sent those big trucks with the teeth. They needed three of them to clean the front and back of this out.”
According to the Marion County Assessor’s office, the property at 2110/2112 Winfield Avenue is owned by Fitzgerald Celestin.
“I haven’t had anything to do with that property since 2008,” said Celestin. “It went into foreclosure.”
Call 6 Investigates checked with the Marion County Public Health Department who said the bill for cleanup will be sent to Celestin.
“After a certain amount of time, if that bill goes unpaid, it will get forwarded to the county and attached to the property bill for that parcel of land,” said health department spokesperson Curt Brantingham.
Perry is thankful to Call 6 Investigates for getting involved.
“Thanks to you guys, we got it done,” said Perry.
Here are some resources if you’re dealing with a blighted property in your neighborhood:
- Mayor’s Action Center: http://www.indy.gov/egov/mayor/mac/pages/home.aspx
- Code Enforcement: http://www.indy.gov/eGov/City/DCE/Pages/home.aspx
- Health Department: http://marionhealth.org/
- Community Land Bank: https://www.renewindianapolis.org/
