Historic Neighborhood Dispute Drags On - Valley News Live - KVLY/KXJB - Fargo/Grand Forks

Some homeowners in Moorhead's historic Comstock neighborhood are asking the city to step in and help them get rid of some vacant homes in the neighborhood.  They say the homes have grown increasingly more dilapidated over the past few years, and now they're attracting squatters.

One homeowner says her home's foundation was damaged when the pipes in the vacant house next door broke, flooding the street. Other neighbors say having people breaking in to the vacant homes creates a safety issue in the neighborhood.

City leaders say they're reviewing the complaints and lining up their options. They say they can't force the owner to raze the homes without a court order.  Homeowner say it's time something is done.

"This is a clear case of absentee landlord, who isn't taking responsibility for the property that they own, that they manage," says Tom Brandau, who lives a few doors down from one vacant property.

He says he's particularly concerned for the families who have young children nearby, given that the squatters seem to be coming in from a nearby homeless shelter.

City leaders say they plan to sit down next week with homeowners to hear out their complaints and explain their options.  The owner of the vacant homes says he's hit a snag with a planned development deal, which would turn the lots the homes sit upon into apartment units. 

He says there's one holdout homeowner of an adjacent property who first agreed to sell and his since changed his mind, without explanation. The property owner says until the holdout does, he can't tear the vacant homes down.