Foreclosed Property Fallout

ORANGE PARK, FL -- Barbara Sartor says when she walks out the front door of her Opal Avenue home, she hates to see what is across the street, it is an abandoned house on an overgrown lot.

"The people moved out February 2008, and it has been sitting there, nothing has been done," says Sartor.

Since October 17, 2008, the Clay County Code enforcement office has imposed a $75 a day fine against the owners for being in violation of the zoning code.

But Sartor says she's been asking who is responsible?

"I thought it was the owners, then I'm told it is the bank," says Sartor.

Until June of 2009, the property deed belonged to the owner, who apparently walked away. In June the bank, Wells Fargo, N.A., purchased back the property for $100.

The Clay County Enforcement office says when a property goes into disrepair due to foreclosure, whoever owns the deed is responsible for the clean up.

Which means whoever owns the deed will also be responsible for, as in this case, the $21,000 in fines.

A spokesperson for Wells Fargo says, "Usually the bank is very good about maintaining its properties, and will take care of this as well."

The spokesperson said they had to research the case to make a more definite statement.

Clay County does not have a nuisance abatement program, like Duval County, so it has to wait until the lender completes the clean up.

The Chief of the Clay County Code Enforcement said she was told someone has begun the clean up, but they're waiting for an official notice.

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