DETROIT – An abandoned home on the west side of Detroit has been attracting squatters and criminal activity, and neighbors are fed up and want to take action to secure the property.
Local 4 received the call for help Thursday (April 10) morning, and just hours later, the city was jumping into action.
The house is on Cherrylawn Street near Lyndon Street, south of the Lodge Freeway.
The home is an eyesore, a danger, and wide open to the elements, which has been causing major problems.
“They need to hurry and fix that up because it’s making this neighborhood look abandoned,” said Daisey Carter.
We called the city of Detroit after receiving complaints like this one to the Help Me Hank tipline, and within minutes, the city had an inspector on the scene.
One man told us that he made a shocking discovery in the backyard.
“It was a dog that was tied up to a tree, and I guess it died back there because it was during the wintertime,” said Juan. “They just left it back there.”
Neighbors nearby said they’ve had enough. They’re concerned for their safety, including the safety of their kids, who play outside.
“Yeah, it worries me because me and my daughter, we’re both single and live in our home alone with no men around, and we have to look at the abandoned home,” Carter said. “And then looking at all of that trash, something needs to be done about it.”
We received a tip from a resident who said the home had been vandalized. It’s been vacant since September 2024.
“I’ve been told it’s owned by the Detroit Land Bank. I’ve been calling them for the past three weeks. No one’s been out to evaluate the home or board it up. I do need your help.”
“Anything can happen,” Juan said. “Somebody busted the window out and from here on out, it’s no telling what else they could do. Set the house on fire or just start making it more of an eyesore for this neighborhood.”
After we reached out to the city of Detroit, within minutes, somebody from the Buildings, Safety Engineering, and Environmental Department came out and inspected the vacant home while coming up with a plan to secure it.
“The property is land bank owned but had shown signs of recent illegal occupancy. It’s not currently slated for demolition, but that will now be reviewed to determine the most appropriate path going forward.
In the meantime, the city is sending a crew to begin boarding up the house. The city will also make sure the dog is removed."
City of Detroit Media Relations Director John Roach
The dog has since been removed, and an investigation is underway to determine what happened to it and who is responsible.
