Dartmouth zombie house a nightmare for years for its neighborhood – SouthCoastToday.com

Property has deteriorated but officials say nothing can be done to address its condition

DARTMOUTH Whats being dubbed by neighbors a zombie home has the residents of a quiet Dartmouth neighborhood unsuccessfully seeking answers from local and state officials about what can be done about the deteriorating house.

With overgrown grass and shrubs, an abandoned car in the driveway, and a completely destroyed interior that neighbors fear is filled with mildew and possible rodent infestation, the residents say they are are fed up with the hazardous eyesore in the middle of their working class neighborhood.

We live in a small community, like most people in Dartmouth, with an average income, said Lauren Downing of Sable Avenue. Over the years, weve tried to address the issue with the town and theyve just passed it off, and I understand because theres a lot of things going on. But, my concern now is more environmental as time goes on.

Located across from the property, Downing isnt the only neighbor hoping to see the structure torn down. Another resident of the neighborhood, Maureen Rogers, has been living next door to the property for 16 years. She says the house already had tarps covering portions of the damaged roof when she moved into her current home in 2004.

Its probably been empty, with nobody there, for about three or four years. There were people living there, an elderly gentleman and a younger couple with kids, Rogers said, also confirming that the disrepair of the property began before the home was finally deserted.

According to Health Director Chris Michaud, the Board of Health can only inspect a property from the street due to expectation of privacy. He said that based on what the board could analyze from the street, no health or safety violations can be detected that would allow the town to take action.

What we can see from the street, from both sides of Sable Avenue, you can see the front of the house and theres a breach in the fence that allows you to see into the backyard. At this point in time all were able is to see is unkempt landscaping on the property, Michaud said.

If there was a breach in the back of the house that we cant see from one side, but a neighbor could see from another, then thats something we can address if that neighbor brings it to our attention.

When it comes to photographs taken by neighbors of the disrepair inside the home, Michaud said that he is unable to verify, for certain, if the pictures were of the property at 40 Sable Avenue.

They have pictures of inside the property, allegedly. I have to verify that. I could take those pictures and send them to the city or town where you live and say that it exists at your property, Michaud said. We have to go on fact. I dont see any breaches in the property where theres a back wall thats caving in.

Dartmouth Administrator of Assessing Richard Gonsalves said that the Board of Assessors has notes on the propertys condition, adding that its been evaluated every year. He said town records indicate the property is owned by a Robert J. Morrow and that 40 Sable Ave. is listed as his primary residence.

But both Downing and Rogers said the property owner had died of cancer, and as a result, the house began to deteriorate.

The Standard-Times was able to confirm Morrows death with the Town Clerks office. Principal Clerk Kelly Thompson said Morrow died on July 21, 2012 in Dartmouth and was cremated at Riverside Crematory in Fairhaven.

Downing said she was informed by the town that the property taxes are up to date.

But, according to Dartmouth Treasurer and Director of Budget & Finance Greg Barnes, tax payments have been missed for the third and fourth quarter of fiscal year 2020. He said that its unlikely however that would enable a foreclosure on the home especially during a pandemic where late payments are a commonality in many communities.

When one owes a few thousand in taxes, the likelihood of somebody actually being foreclosed on is not good. They have paid their taxes through the second quarter of 2020, so the earliest theyd get a tax title would be in the summer and then itd be a long process after that, Barnes said, explaining that the town would have to wait an additional six months to foreclose on the property through Massachusetts Land Court what he said could be a very slow process.

Were fortunate, even in a pandemic, that the vast majority of taxpayers have paid their taxes, but its not atypical to have some missed payments from residents. We still have quite a number of taxpayers were still trying to get collection on for the end of fiscal year 2020, he said.

Barnes said he was unable to determine whether a tax payment had been filed for the August 1 quarterly due date.

A follow-up with the Board of Assessors found Murrow continues be listed as the owner of the property. But with Morrow dead since 2012, it is not clear who had been paying the property taxes up through fiscal year 2019 (the last time they were paid).

Barnes said that unless informed otherwise, the town continues to send the tax bills to the address of the listed owner, Robert Morrow.

As a town, we continue to send it to the owner of record. So, unless the town somehow is informed differently, then it continues to go to the same address, he said. It may change ownership, so whoever gains ownership is ultimately responsible for the property, so it doesnt stay with the (deceased) individual.

The Town Collectors Office said all property taxes paid in FY19 were paid in cash, leaving no record of who provided the payment. Administrative Clerk Jen Garrant added that the last payment made by a recorded source was in 2018. "A mortgage company (Wells Fargo) was paying the taxes. The last payment we received from them was in January of 2018.

There is no record for cash payments," she said. "Anyone couldve paid for it, she said.

Briana Curran, Wells Fargo Vice President of Communications & Community Relations for New England, said records indicate the loan for the home was paid off in 2018, leaving the company without any knowledge of it since.

When we looked into this, our records show that the loan was paid in full in 2018 and we released our lien at that time. Given the timing, we would not know anything beyond this and have had no role regarding the property after it was paid off, Curran said.

Administrative Clerk Garrant said that since missed payments on property taxes havent yet reached the point of delinquency, the town cant do anything about it.

As for any building code violations, thats unclear as Building Commissioner David Riquinha said he doesnt have any knowledge of 40 Sable Avenue.

Downing said that shes been in contact with the Attorney Generals regional office in New Bedford about the property and has sent in photographs and a video detailing the property's regressed state. She said the AGs Office was unable to help her.

The Attorney Generals Office said that Downing had inquired about use of the offices Abandoned Housing Initiative (AHI). AHI works closely with municipal governments to identify and turn around blighted, and abandoned homes. No one in the AG's office would speak by name on the case but an official said that in order to accept a property into the program and move forward with the rehabilitation process, a referral is needed from the municipality the home is located at.

The neighbors say the problems with the property go beyond aesthetics, health and safety. Rogers said that her property values have been affected adversely.

We had a home appraisal done a couple years ago and we were told by the bank that the price of the appraisal would have been a little bit higher if it wasnt for the vacant house next door, Rogers said.

Downing said she will continue to look for a solution until something is done.

I dont know who (else) in government to contact, but Im going to keep going until somebody pays attention to this," she said. "I know theres zombie properties all over, I get that, but at what point do we say, Enough is enough? she said.

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Dartmouth zombie house a nightmare for years for its neighborhood - SouthCoastToday.com