Abandoned house on Mulberry finally boarded up by city

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - Joe McKinney has been a member of Trinity Faith Tabernacle since the 1970s. There’s a reason he’s so loyal to the church.

“We always offer any help if people need any help,” he says.

But the owner of a house across the street never asked for help before abandoning the home. Now the house is in a state of disrepair.

“People can hide in there. You see that door open over there. People can hide in there,” says Joe McKinney, an elder at the church at Huron and Mulberry.

“It’s an eyesore for the community.”

The front door swings on its hinges. The garage has no door at all, giving church visitors a full view of the pile of junk inside.

“People come out and get in their car and they feel unsafe. Especially if they could see someone drunk and go hiding in there,” says McKinney.

The house has been on the city’s radar for a while -- 30-day and 72-hour notices posted on the front threaten the owners with action.

“It makes me feel the city is trying to do something. ... Either board it up or tear it down,” says McKinney.

The city is interested in taking legal steps to fix the problem, but the owners are nowhere to be found. They left no forwarding address, so the city has to track them down. In a neighborhood filled with so many empty lots, the goal is to find someone interested in renovating the house if it’s salvageable.

In the meantime, city workers boarded up the house this week in response to 13abc’s request.

“I’m happy you came out as quickly as you did,” says McKinney.

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