Landlords Speak Out About Abandoned Properties

Omaha cracks down on landlord offenders

By Kandiss Crone

CREATED 5:21 PM

Omaha, NE -  One day after the mayor annouced a plan to make the top 25 landlord offenders fix up their properties, we went straight to the owners to find out what they're doing and why their properties are in such bad condition.

We knocked on door after door. Finally, we ran into Donald Britton who owns an abandoned home near 45th and Blondo. "The house is unliveable, can't live in it. The roof, black mold," Donald Britton said.

Donald Britton says he was out of work for three years and his debt added up so much so he couldn't afford to fix the home. Britton said he moved out of the home about two years ago after it got mold and the roof started leaking. He can't afford to bring it up to city code and thinks it could sit like this for another few years.

Britton isn't the only landlord on the top 25 offender list. We caught up with john malone at church this afternoon asking how his property ended up on the list..

"it was attacked twice by gangs. I assume it's gangs cause of the grafitti inside, the plumbing torn out, the electrical torn out, metal stolen," John Malone said.

Malone says he plans to fix the problems but admits it will take some time. Time residents like Belinda Mellow hopes comes sooner than later. "It brings down my property value and you know the neighbors don't like it and I just hope something can be done, it can be gotten rid of," Belinda Mellow said.