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Neighbors say vacant house in Cuyahoga Falls is 'putrid'

Photos show inside of home in "putrid" condition
Posted at 5:58 PM, Jul 25, 2016
and last updated 2016-07-26 07:47:22-04

Neighbors take pride in their landscaping on Lynn Drive in Cuyahoga Falls, so when a house became vacant and overrun with weeds, neighbors noticed.

Then city inspectors deemed the house unfit for human habitation. 

A notice on the front door warns of mold.

That caught the interest of next door neighbor Frank Larson.

Larson and other neighbors were disgusted when they saw pictures taken inside the house by city inspectors.

"It showed a bunch of debris laying around in this sort of this thick liquid brown,” Larson said.

Garbage piled up, sewage backed up, neighbors want it cleaned up.

"Like a hoarder, like what you see sometimes on TV, like those shows, it was putrid,” Larson said.

The longer this house sits abandoned, the more Larson worries about rodents and odor.

"The odor is coming from the house especially in these 90° days,” Larson said.

City officials said the person who was living here is deceased, the daughter padlocked the house, and is in the process of selling it.

Once the house is sold, if the new owner doesn't clean it up, they could face criminal charges.

If the sale drags on, the city will consider filing a civil nuisance claim.

City officials said they're following legal steps.

Lars feels like the city is dragging its feet.

"I want it cleaned up, the garbage is just piled in there, it’s an invitation to rats and whatever.” Larson said.

City officials said for now all city workers can do is mow the front yard grass.