Villa Heights tackles vacant homes in the neighborhood

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A north Charlotte community is working to address abandoned and boarded-up homes in their neighborhood.

Community leaders in Villa Heights said they've been trying to work with the city to fix up the homes for years.

Matt Sluder lives in the community and serves as the quality of life representative on the community board.

"We're tired of it, to be honest with you," Sluder said.  He is tired of seeing boarded up homes in the Villa Heights neighborhood.

Sluder documents vacant and abandoned homes in the area and reports the properties to the city's Code Enforcement office.

He walked Eyewitness News around some of them, including a duplex on Allen Street that has been boarded up since 2008. Sluder said that’s when a realtor bought the home, but then the housing market tanked.  Suder said the realtor hasn't done anything to maintain the property at all.

"We went to the city numerous times and have not been able to get anything done with this house at all," Sluder said.

Eyewitness News asked the city of Charlotte for an update on the status of the duplex. We're told as the city was preparing to present the property to the City Council for demolition, the property was revaluated and its value jumped from $29,000 to $78,000.

In order for the city to demolish a home, the cost to repair it must be at least 65 percent of the structure value.  So as a result, this home no longer qualified for demolition. The city has a pending request with the county to have the property re-evaluated.

But Sluder said they have seen some success in the neighborhood.  Neighbors contacted Code Enforcement about a home on Drummond Avenue and said within months, the owners took steps to clean up the property and fix up the home.

Now, neighbors have their eyes set on the vacant house next door. Sluder said he contacted Code Enforcement about it just days ago and already, an Eyewitness News crew saw a red note in the door from Code Enforcement making an attempt to reach out to the owner.

Eyewitness News also spotted crews working to fix up a foreclosed home on Leigh Avenue.  It was also one of the properties on Sluder's list.

"It's a working class neighborhood,” he said. “We are not Ballantyne.  People don't drive six-figures cars and stuff, and we deserve to live in a nice neighborhood as well."

Sluder said between their phone calls to Code Enforcement and the turn in the housing market, he has seen more property owners making an effort to fix up the vacant homes in recent months.

WSOC