ST. LOUIS – A burned, abandoned house has become a hazard in a north St. Louis neighborhood.
“It’s an eyesore and it’s a hazard; we have schools over here, kids walking past the bus stop…anybody could get assaulted and drug up in this vacant building,” Patricia Hall, resident, said.
The residence caught fire and burned over a year ago, and residents have tried to get the city to tear it down to no avail. Neighbors were told that the city has to track down the private owner and go through procedures before it can be demolished.
This answer from the city isn’t good enough for neighbors like Danya Purdy.
“It’s been like this—a mess. I’ve called the city several times about it; they just won’t come out,” she said. “I have to buy certain stuff to treat the outside and inside of my house from rodents and things. It’s a mess. They don’t care.”
FOX 2 reached out to Alderwomen Pam Boyd (Ward 13), who says she’s also been trying.
“I put it in when I first got in office in April 2023 and asked for a demo…they said, ‘Alderwoman, that’s a privately owned property…’” she said. “I followed through and I told them that we need to get that on an emergency demo so I’m looking at the next 60 days for it to be down.”