MEMPHIS, Tenn.– A south Memphis woman is concerned about a run down building next to her home.
The abandoned home on Kerr Avenue has overgrown weeds, tossed tires and roof that’s on the brink of caving in.
“I’m tired of looking at that,” Julienne Falls said, who lives next door.
There is no door on the front of the home.
Memphis city officials previously told us having open spaces on abandoned homes is illegal, and there should not be any access to the inside.
Falls, who lives next door, says she’s sick of the dumpy curb appeal.
However, she now has another reason that’s pushing her to get the place cleaned up after a teen reported being raped in an abandoned home by a man with a knife Monday.
“I came from that neighborhood. I grew up over there,” Falls said.
She’s thinking about what could happen in the neighborhood she now lives in, a little more than four miles away.
“I’m afraid that somebody’s child is going to end up raped in there, because this is a school area,” Falls said.
She says she calls 311 regularly asking for help and showed us confirmation numbers of her calls. We did some research, and the property appears to be owned by a company out of Milwaukee.
By the looks of the place, no one has lived there for awhile.
City officials tell us the process of city crews getting the green light to board up a vacant building takes time, because they have to give the owner time to respond.
However it can get done if boarding up is in the best interest of public health and safety.
Falls says he wants the owner held responsible and wants the building gone for good.
“I want it demolished so that nobody can get hurt,” she said.
We emailed the city to see what records they have of the building but have not heard back.
