Vacant properties becoming a problem for Middlebury

October 21, 2010|By Ed Ernstes (ernstes@wsbt.com)

Middlebury is finding itself with a growing problem of vacant homes and rental properties in need of clean up and repair. City leaders say they are an eyesore and a safety concern, and the town council is looking for ways to deal with the problem.

For close to three years now a home on Main Street has been in a state of disrepair. Whether it's trash left in the back, leaves sprouting in gutters, or now graffiti.

“Most of our neighbors here take great pride in their homes,” said neighbor Nancy Coulter. “When you have something like this, that is such an eyesore, it takes away the value of our home.”

That location and others in Middlebury are in bad shape. If Middlebury does not have a code enforcement officer to deal with overgrown, unkempt, vacant properties – more often than not, that responsibility ends up in the hands of the police department.

“I don't have the time to be a code enforcement officer, and we do have some problem properties here in town,” said Marshal Greg Thomas.

They are properties that raise safety concerns and affect the look of a neighborhood. Also, some become sites for drug activities.

“A couple of these homes we have had issues with the meth labs and drug usage,” Thomas said. “I think mainly it just goes rather hand-in-hand with those types of properties."

The city wants to a find a way to hold people accountable for such properties. The town council is now looking into a proposal that would require the registration of rental properties. Registration that police could use to track down who owns and who lives in a rundown problem property.

“It’s not a done deal yet. Simply looking into the matter,” Thomas said.

Elkhart has a rental registration ordinance and a study committee at city hall will look into whether Middlebury should have one too.

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