The Community Development District 5 Board of Supervisors is hoping to expedite the identification of abandoned homes before they descend into a neighborhood eyesore.
Each community development district in The Villages has a strict set of rules it must follow when it comes to an abandoned home. The process begins with a complaint from a resident. Too often it advances to a public hearing with fines imposed. The worst part is when an abandoned home sits for an extended period of time, which feels like an eternity to the neighbors.
CDD 5 Supervisor Reed Panos previously suggested trying to find a way to identify potential problem homes sooner in the process. At Monday’s board meeting at Savannah Center, Panos reported on a recent meeting he had with Assistant District Manager Carrie Duckett and District Counsel Mark Brionez.
Panos said his concerns about abandoned homes were magnified last week when he read in Villages-News.com about three abandoned properties on the Historic Side of The Villages.
“We are kind of seeing what is going on in the Historic district and what may be going on here in 10 to 15 years in our district,” Panos said.
He and Duckett considered the idea of identifying homes in CDD 5 where the water has been shut off for non-payment. A total of five properties in CDD 5 had their water turned from 2018 until June 2021. They each had outstanding water bills of more than $800. However, none of those homes have overgrown grass, weeds or mold.
“They were in more than acceptable condition,” Duckett said.
That means that either the owner is still maintaining the property or a neighbor has stepped in.
The idea of using a water shutoff as a warning about potentially abandoned property was dismissed.
Deputy District Manager Kenny Blocker suggested that neighbors can play a key role by reporting what they see.
“If a resident sees something, they should call it in,” Blocker said.
Duckett indicated that an informational piece could be made available at the postal stations, at districtgov.org and in the District’s weekly bulletin notifying CDD 5 residents of the need to hear from them if they believe there is a problem.
“If you spot something that needs attention, don’t assume someone else has called it in,” Duckett said.
CDD 5 last year voted 3-2 to stop accepting anonymous complaints when it comes to deed compliance violations. However, CDD 5 Chairman Gary Kadow said that shouldn’t prevent a resident from reporting a potentially abandoned home, and giving their name when lodging the complaint.
“The neighbors have the most at stake. They should not have a problem giving their name,” Kadow said.
