Having a home that appears to have
been abandoned is disconcerting for any neighborhood. The potential for decline
with unused buildings and the potential for crime around those buildings brings
fear to neighbors. Abandoned properties can attract squatters whose practices
often accelerates the decline of the property. Drug use can occur along with disorderly
conduct, prostitution, and burglary rings, using the property for storing stolen
goods or as a chop shop for stolen vehicles or even stolen bikes.
For neighbors it can be
frustrating to know what to do in these circumstances. Probably the best advice
is to call 911 when you see suspicious activity.
The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office
has a “Nuisance Property Program” that has received publicity in social media
and the local press. The Sheriff’s Office works with the Snohomish County
Health District, Snohomish County code enforcement and human services to encourage
landowners to clean up the properties and to remove the threat of decline and crime.
Working with other parts of county government helps to ensure compliance with
health and building codes and, where possible, to get help for squatters who
may have drug addiction or mental health problems.
Often the challenge is to find who
owns the property. The county needs an owner’s cooperation to declare squatters
as trespassers. It obviously needs the owner to bring the property into
compliance with local ordinances. It can be difficult to find someone who is
responsible for the property, especially if it has going into foreclosure.
Owners may be out of state, elderly, deceased, or even in prison or in the long-term
care of a hospital or nursing home.
The Sheriff’s Office encourages
all property owners to visit their properties to ensure it is secure and safe.
In most cases, property owners
cooperate, especially when they receive notices from several county departments.
While the county does the heavy
lifting, finding owners, notifying them, in some cases convincing them that
they have a responsibility to comply with the law, neighbors may not see much
improvement. Keeping an eye on the property and calling 911 when they see crime
in progress or a life-threatening incident in progress, and calling the
non-emergency number, (425) 407-3999, for any potential violations help the
Sheriff’s Office and the other county agencies to know what is going on at the
property.
You can also file a complaint with
the health district for issues such as garbage being left on a property and
with county code enforcement for violations of the county building code. See
the links below for information on how to file a complaint.
Also, keep your own property safe
by implementing practical burglary and car theft/car prowl prevention practices.
As Deputy Dave Chitwood puts it, “This
is a process.” It may not go as fast as anyone likes, but persistence by the
county and by the community at large will reduce the effects of abandoned
properties.
The Herald:
Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office:
https://snohomishcountywa.gov/3948/The-Opioid-Crisis
Snohomish Health District:
Snohomish County Code Enforcement:
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