People in Moose Jaw, Sask., have had enough abandoned homes.
Some residents have come forward complaining about some of the abandoned homes in the city, saying the properties are drawing in feral animals and dragging property values down.
For Michelle Dodd, the issues started six years ago when she first bought her home down the street from an abandoned house.
She has been reporting the home for different things over the years on the Moose Jaw city app. In 2022, she saw a window was missing from the house.
In October this year, she found a litter of kittens looking out that window.
“I posted it on social media after I had reported it again on the app,” Dodd explained.
“I was just surprised at the outpour of people dealing with abandoned homes and bylaws not being met by the city.”
Dodd said she heard many stories of homes being reported on the city app and quickly being reported back resolved.
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“It brings a lot of frustration, especially when myself and other neighbours around me have gotten letters from the city about grass clippings behind our fence in the alley,” she said.
“Apparently these abandoned homes aren’t as a big an issue as grass clippings.”
Bradley Hartmann said homes like this have been an issue for the last 30 years.
“You got to complain about it, I guess,” he said. “Complaints maybe drive the fire, but I’ve complained before and not really seen a lot of action.”
After reporting the issue to the city, Dodd said she reached out to the humane society instead and they were able to make sure the animals were taken in and later that day a board was up on the window.
A statement from the city says:
“The City of Moose Jaw investigates all requests for service sent through our website and app. Depending on the details, each abandoned property request is then assigned to one or more of the following categories:
- Criminal: Moose Jaw Police Service
- Fire safety issue: Fire Dept.
- Bylaw issue: Bylaw Official
- Building issue: Building Official
- Pets/animals: Moose Jaw Humane Society or other, relevant agency
- Contravening a zoning bylaw: Development Officer
- No contravention – no action needed”
Rod Montgomery is the Moose Jaw Fire Department chief. He said the city doesn’t have a lot of them, but the abandoned homes that are around are issue.
“The worst thing you want to do is let it continue on, obviously,” Montgomery said. “If the building is not being upkept and the taxes (aren’t being paid) and etc., you have to enforce those things otherwise some of those bylaws aren’t worth the paper being written on.”
Dodd hopes the city will stick to their word of fixing the issues when they are submitted by the people.
“Respect the bylaw, follow it, and enforce it,” she said. “And if you can’t do that then get rid of that bylaw.”
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