City forced to condemn home
CINCINNATI (Rich Jaffe) - Tenants find themselves stuck in the middle.
They're forced to live in almost unbelievable conditions. Their landlord won't show up to court and won't fix the home which deteriorates around them. Desperate for help, the tenant asked Local 12 to investigate. Piles of rotting construction debris have been sitting outside the home on Grant Street in Wilmington for over a year. Inside, it was even worse. The gas stove is useless, since the gas was turned off due to a leak.
After surviving kidney cancer and a heart attack, Robert Jones and his sons were desperate for a place to stay and said the landlord promised to fix the problems a year ago.
Jones told Local 12, "Mold wants to grow on everything. It seems like no matter what I do there's more mice. You can hear them climbing through the walls. It's sad anyone would have to live like this."
Exposed gas lines crisscross the kitchen; the cold shower leaks into a tub that doesn't drain. And the place is loaded with rat poison and exposed wires. Bulging, leaking ceilings are filled with plastic and insulation all for $500 a month.
Robert's 18-year-old son, Thomas, said, "I've tried to help my dad, done everything in my power to help him keep this house clean. We barely even have friends come over and nobody really wants to talk with us any more."
There are so many things wrong that in July 2015, city inspectors wrote up a long list of violations but they haven't been able to get the landlord, John Blake, to show up in court.
Robert said, "I've done everything I can. It's out of my hands, I can't do no more. That's why I turned to you guys."
Local 12 News found landlord John Blake, who runs a home remodeling business, at his lovely old home a few blocks away. He had "no comment" when Local 12 confronted him.
Wilmington officials told Local 12 they plan to condemn and possibly demolish the home. They've been waiting to do that until Jones and his sons can find somewhere else to live. Jones told Local 12 Monday, March 14, living in their cars would be better than living in that house.
Local 12 News will bring updates on this investigation as they become available.
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