Some residents of Moose Jaw, Sask., are fed up with abandoned homes in the city. Michelle Dodd, who has been dealing with issues related to an abandoned house near her home for the past six years, recently found a litter of kittens in the property. Despite reporting the issue on the city app multiple times, she felt frustrated by what she perceived as a lack of action from the city in addressing the problem. Dodd’s experience is not unique, as other residents have also voiced their concerns about abandoned homes attracting feral animals and decreasing property values in the area.
Bradley Hartmann, another Moose Jaw resident, acknowledged that abandoned homes have been a problem in the city for the past 30 years. While he has made complaints in the past, he has not seen significant action taken by the city to address the issue. However, after reaching out to the humane society, Dodd was able to ensure that the kittens were taken in and a board was placed on the broken window of the abandoned house. The city provided a statement indicating that they investigate all requests for service related to abandoned properties through their website and app, and assign them to relevant departments based on the issue reported.
Rod Montgomery, the Moose Jaw Fire Department chief, emphasized the importance of addressing abandoned homes promptly to prevent further deterioration of the properties and potential safety hazards. He highlighted the need to enforce bylaws related to abandoned properties to ensure that they are not left neglected. Dodd expressed her hope that the city will take action to address the issues with abandoned homes when they are reported by residents, and suggested that the city should either enforce existing bylaws more effectively or revise them if they are not being followed.
Overall, residents in Moose Jaw are frustrated by the presence of abandoned homes in the city and the perceived lack of action by the city in addressing the issue. Complaints about these properties attracting feral animals and lowering property values have been raised by multiple residents. While some have had success in addressing specific issues with abandoned homes by reaching out to relevant agencies like the humane society, others feel that the city needs to do more to enforce existing bylaws and ensure that abandoned properties are properly maintained or disposed of. Moving forward, residents like Michelle Dodd hope that the city will take a more proactive approach in addressing the concerns raised by residents about abandoned homes in Moose Jaw.
