I-Team: Looking closer at the home demolition list

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - The 13 Action News I-Team is looking closer at the City of Toledo’s home demolition list, specifically what the issues are in parts of south and east Toledo.

Last month, the I-Team told you about certain homes on that demolition list that had people still living in them. Now, we’re getting a better idea of how many people are actually fighting those issues.

Sometimes, Betty Dotson, who lives on Tecumseh Street, sees strange thing emanating from the several abandoned and boarded up homes on just her block alone.

“One day I saw raccoons,” said Dotson. “The mother raccoon and her four to five babies just walking down the street like she’s buying groceries.”

There are five homes along the 1100 block of Tecumseh St. set for demolition next year, according to the demolition list provided to Toledo City Council. Later this year, several homes on the 600 block of Platt St. are supposed to come down.

“There’s people in and out of my driveway walking, drug sales, drug addicts, people sleeping there,” said Kristina Valdez, who lives on Platt Street.

Reports to City Council say several dozen homeowners are in the appeals process trying to keep their homes from the demolition list. There are about 370 properties on the list from District Three alone.

The City has tries to offer homeowners guidance and help to repair them but in some cases, neighbors would rather live with them gone.

“This was a very good neighborhood. Almost all the houses had occupants,” said Valdez. “It was quiet, it was neat, but now it’s just the houses and the properties are just going down.”

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