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CLE nuisance homes, bank owned and neglected

Posted at 11:51 PM, Feb 08, 2016
and last updated 2016-02-08 23:51:50-05

Cleveland council members and residents who live in their neighborhoods report too many bank owned nuisance properties are a potential hazard and are hurting their property values.

Council members Tony Brancatelli and Brian Cummins report the bank owned homes are causing serious issue.

Brancatelli pointed to a house he said is owned by Wells Fargo on Covert Avenue in his ward, a house that has been a problem for three years.

Brancatelli said he's been trying to get Wells Fargo to tear it down.

"Well it's part of the bureaucracy that we're dealing with, in the meantime the poor neighbors are suffering," said Brancatelli. "Property values are going down."

Cummins reported a home on Hyde Avenue on Cleveland's west side. 

According to Cleveland Housing Court records Wells Fargo attempted to foreclose on owner Lisa Gogol in July of 2012, but records indicate the court dropped the case because the bank reported the house was no longer occupied.

We contacted Lisa Gogol, who is still living at the home, but she refused to explain the latest on the case.

According to the Cuyahoga County Auditor, the property is more than $7,000 behind in property taxes, and has a number of code violations.

The case is heading to housing court on Feb. 9.

Wells Fargo responded quickly to our story, and is looking into both cases.

Cummind believes bank owned nuisance properties are cost Cuyahoga County million is lost tax base due to shrinking property values.