Thread: AR: Homeowner cited for filthy living conditions

http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2007/ ... itions.txt

Homeowner cited for filthy living conditions
17 people living in home

This article was published on Thursday, January 11, 2007 6:42 PM CST in News
By Trish Mehaffey
The Morning News

SPRINGDALE -- The front of the house at 1524 Pioneer St. looked fairly normal -- but when Springdale Police Sgt. Billy Turnbough went inside he wasn't prepared for what he stepped into.

There was about an inch of standing water in the living room from backed up sewage in the bathroom. The room was bare, except for a bunk bed unit piled high with clothes in the corner.

The kitchen sink was stopped up with water. The family of 17 living in the house used a 50-gallon trash can to dump out sink water so they could wash dishes, said Turnbough, a member of the Springdale Nuisance Abatement Partnership program. When the trash can filled with water, the family dumped it in the backyard.

In the bathroom a tub was filled with 8 to 10 inches of stagnant water and two toilets had overflowed.

Two families, seven adults and 10 children, ages 1 to 12, were living in the 1,016 square foot home, owned by Sergo Favela-Suarez, that had a maximum occupancy for five.

"There were four kids to one bed," Turnbough said.
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The size of the bedrooms allowed capacity for one or two people according to housing code, said Mike Chamlee, Springdale chief building inspector.

Two of the adults were handicapped, one man was in a wheelchair and a women was on crutches because she had a toe amputated as a result of diabetes, Turnbough said.

The house was littered with trash, moldy food and crumbs on the floors and had a horrible odor, but the worse was yet to come.

Turnbough walked into the backyard and discovered large amounts of human feces, wads of used toilet paper and other trash between the privacy fence and a shed. Grease used for cooking had been dumped on the grass and waste.

"They had been going outside because the plumbing was backed up. There was a roll of toilet paper on the fence. The neighbors couldn't see anything because of the fencing. It was horrible. This is the worse case I've seen," Turnbough said.

Turnbough had been alerted to the house Tuesday when a bondsman went to apprehend Sergo Favela-Suarez, 21, and two other occupants on outstanding warrants.

Sergo Favela-Suarez, found in the trunk of a car in the garage, was arrested on a Washington County warrant for failure to appear and possession of a controlled substance.

Leonel Favela-Suarez, 28, was arrested on a Lincoln warrant for contempt of court and Jose Favela, 22, was arrested on Elm Springs and Springdale warrants for contempt of court.

Neither Turnbough or Chamlee know how the three are related.

Sergo Favela-Suarez was cited for over-occupancy, property maintenance and unsightly or unsanitary condition violations, Chamlee said. The family was given 24 hours to fix the plumbing. The deadline was Thursday and it wasn't repaired.

Sergo Favela-Suarez may also face 10 counts of misdemeanor endangering the welfare of a minor, Turnbough said.

"They're not allowed to live there without a working sewer," Chamlee said. Police will secure the house to deter vandals. The house has been red tagged as unsanitary or unsafe.

The children and the two handicapped adults were taken by the Department of Human Services for placement in suitable housing.

The Springdale Nuisance Abatement Partnership program, established last year, is designed give police and code enforcement officers the authority to close unsafe, unsanitary homes and businesses. Property found to be in violation must be repaired before the owner can move back in or rent the property.

That is absolutely gross. I have seen a place where migrants lived on a farm in South West Dade County and they had no indoor plumbing. One door was covered with a blanket and there were dirt floors. A man with a walker and bandaged foot came out of the home which I called a shack. I was with the bylaw section where we would go with city inspectors.

We had an article in our local paper about eight months ago where someone called authorities because there were too many people living in one house, and the reporter took the side of the residents. I am so sick of these people turning our neighborhoods into slums. I am willing to bet that the reporter would not live in that neighborhood. Hypocrites!

I know someone that does electrical work. He had to go under a small house for some reason and there were mattresses under the house where the people were sleeping. Ewwww!

The children and the two handicapped adults were taken by the Department of Human Services for placement in suitable housing.

I expected to hear ICE was involved in the relocation of some or all of the house residents. Is there anyone here that thinks all of these folks are legal? I'm sick and tired of hearing about how communities are treating the symptoms of the problem, while completely ignoring the root cause.

I'm sick and tired of hearing about how communities are treating the symptoms of the problem, while completely ignoring the root cause.

Me too. Interior enforcement is not enough. And not only that, what about all of the human waste seeping into other people's yards. I would hate to think that the neighbors had a garden, they will all become deathly ill. And the most daunting question...who craps behind a shed? Wouldn't common sense say to at least go in a bag or bucket and remove the waste? Please tell me none of these people ever worked in a restaurant. Which reminds me of a story...We were in an ice cream store in Tucson once, with Mexican employees. I went to wash my hands and one of their employees walked right out of the stall without washing theirs. Glad I saw that, because my family started to order and I intercepted and said that we had to leave. That is so sick!!!!

I have said this before and will repeat it once again. Find out what your city or county bylaws are regarding how many people can occupy a house or condo. I had 4 adults and 2 kids living in the 2 bedroom condo across from me. I kept calling the county bylaw office and complaining as you are only allowed 4 people in a 2 bedroom unit. They were gone within a month of me complaining. I there are other units with the same problem and I am dealing with anyone I find. There is one in the next building which has a screened belcony and has bunk beds on it. The board and I am currently working on that one too.