FRESNO, Calif. (FOX26) — A vacant home near Peach and Tulare avenues in Fresno has become a growing source of frustration for neighbors, who say the property has turned into a hotspot for squatters, trash and criminal activity.
Residents say boarded-up windows, overflowing garbage and reports of rats and cockroaches have made the property both an eyesore and a health concern.
Mido Puentes lives nearby and says the problems have only gotten worse.
“I’m concerned about our community. The safety. I mean, it’s infested with rats. It’s infested with cockroaches now. A lot of them, you could tell that they’re on drugs and they’re drinking,” Puentes said.
She says she has repeatedly called code enforcement to report squatters living at the home, but the response has only provided temporary relief.
“The next night, they’re all back in there again,” she said.
Fresno County Supervisor Luis Chavez says the property has a long history of attracting squatters. The home was the scene of a double homicide in 2022, when investigators say a family member killed their mother and grandparent. Afterward, new tenants moved into the home, but they were evicted on March 30 of this year, leaving the property vacant once again.
“Subsequently it became vacant and a magnet for this type of activity. So this is priority number one for my area right now,” Chavez said.
The property is now owned by Nationstar Mortgage.
Chavez says the county plans to issue a “Notice and Order” requiring the owner to secure the home and remove the trash surrounding it.
“Tomorrow morning, we are contacting them and sending them an order to, one, secure the property, two, clean it up. And if they don’t do that this upcoming week, we’re going to do that and send them the bill,” Chavez said.
Neighbors say the location makes the situation especially concerning because a daycare, an elementary school and a middle school are all located nearby.
“I’m afraid one of these days, one of these kids are gonna get involved, you know, get hurt,” Puentes said.
When asked what would happen if the property is cleaned up but squatters return, Chavez said the county is prepared to take stronger action if necessary.
“We’re prepared to take this to the full extent of the law. If a property becomes a health and safety danger to the neighborhood, we’ll obviously be able to put liens on the property and maybe even take it over if the owner refuses to,” Chavez said.
Chavez encourages residents dealing with similar problems to contact his office if they live within his district. Those outside his district can report nuisance properties to Fresno County Code Enforcement.
The property has been the focus of law enforcement before. In October of last year, Fresno police served a search warrant at the same home during a theft investigation. The operation did not target a specific suspect for arrest but resulted in the detention of up to 12 people, according to police.