Abandoned Detroit eyesore can't be torn down by city

With so much rebirth in Detroit - some neighborhoods are asking, what about us?

It's a complicated story of abandonment, auctions and inability to act.

"We all want to live in a nice neighborhood," said Sabrina Jackson, who lives near a dangerous home. "It don't have to be upscale, but nice and clean and safe."

And Jackson says her west side neighborhood is far from it. While certain areas of the city are experiencing a rebirth, her block here on Wildemere is struggling.

"It's like everything is up and coming," she said. "It's like, did they just forget about us? They care about the other side because it's the University District, Sherwood  Forest and Palmer Park, but they forgot about us."

A few new homes were built here a few year ago and Sabrina's friend had fixed up the home next door to her. But back in the winter between 2012 and 2013, someone kicked in the back door and it was 
vandalized beyond repair.

"They took kitchen sinks, they took the refrigerator, stove, furnace, hot water tank," Jackson said. "They took all of that out."

After she discovered the house had been vandalized, she called the police. Then the house was mysteriously set on fire not once or twice, but three times.

"The following day they (set) it on fire," Jackson said. "Twice in one day and a few weeks after, they came back and set it on fire again."

The fire so intense it destroyed the siding on Sabrina's home. Now this place is a haven for illegal dumping, drug dealing and a danger for anyone coming close.
 
A gun-toting graffiti Mickey Mouse was left in the basement  and burned boards full of rusty nails just dangling from up above.

"It's dangerous because the backyard is overgrown as well and the house is completely falling apart," Jackson said. "It's wide open - I'm scared we may find something other than a dead animal in there - it is scary."

The streetlight doesn't work - it's frightening.

"It's dark right here and anybody can do anything," Jackson said.

So what's being done about this? Unfortunately, nothing. It turns out a now dissolved LLC out of Nevada, called Living Light Properties is listed on the register of deeds.

The city of Detroit doesn't own this eyesore and tells FOX 2 there's nothing they can do about it.

The home is currently facing foreclosure, so the city will likely end up owning it and tearing it down - but that could be years away.

"When is it going to happen, how long do we have to wait," Jackson said. "Do we have to wait another five years, 10 to 15 years before you do something? So that's 
where we're stuck at."

And even though 4,000 homes have come down during Mayor Mike Duggan's administration - with another 3,500 scheduled by year's end. This, unfortunately, is not one of them.

"I feel left out,"Jackson said. "I could fence it off make it look nice and make it safe for the kids. It's not safe, even for my house. There's pieces falling down - kids are playing - they're walking by. it's not safe. it's just not safe."