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Paula

Beach Fanatic
Jan 25, 2005
3,747
442
Michigan but someday in SoWal as well
I saw some young kids (preteens/early teens) playing in and under a very damaged house that was hanging over a dune. Are home owners required to take down/fix their houses that are hanging dangerously over the dunes or can they leave them there? Can the county require someone to remove their house if it's a danger to others? This house is way beyond repair. Is there a particular official that I should contact to let them know?
 

Smiling JOe

SoWal Expert
Nov 18, 2004
31,648
1,773
Paula, you mean like these two homes in Blue Mtn Bch, one with 4 cinder blocks hanging from a wire for over 6 months?
 

Paula

Beach Fanatic
Jan 25, 2005
3,747
442
Michigan but someday in SoWal as well
Thanks, JR and SJ. It's at Seacrest Beach (used to be a ranch house) before you get to the Alys Beach area (about 1/2 mile before you get to Alys Beach if you're coming from Seagrove). But it looks like the photos you showed and imagine kids fooling around in there. Scary. Not only are the kids at risk (I'm assuming they weren't the only people who decided to crawl around in the house so far) but it must be a major liability for the owner if anyone gets hurt.
 

Smiling JOe

SoWal Expert
Nov 18, 2004
31,648
1,773
Paula said:
Thanks, JR and SJ. It's at Seacrest Beach (used to be a ranch house) before you get to the Alys Beach area (about 1/2 mile before you get to Alys Beach if you're coming from Seagrove). But it looks like the photos you showed and imagine kids fooling around in there. Scary. Not only are the kids at risk (I'm assuming they weren't the only people who decided to crawl around in the house so far) but it must be a major liability for the owner if anyone gets hurt.
They may be trying to get rid of their GF home, and that sounds like one way to do so.
 

beachmouse

Beach Fanatic
Dec 5, 2004
3,504
741
Bluewater Bay, FL
The county definitely can require the owner to remove an unrepairable house. Last November, a family friend got exactly that sort of letter from Walton County telling her that her totaled home on the north shore of Choctaw Bay had to be demolished in 30 days, or the county would do it for her, and place a hella lien against the property to pay for that service. (she had been having a really hard time finding a properly licensed demo company, and had even asked the fire department to burn it down, but they couldn't because they couldn't do a safeproper hazmat sweep beforehand. She finally found a demo company about a week before the county deadline)
 

Paula

Beach Fanatic
Jan 25, 2005
3,747
442
Michigan but someday in SoWal as well
Thanks everyone for the information. The guy who owns the home has had some real troubles other than the home lately, but that shouldn't result in a child (or anyone) getting hurt. And, of course, if someone gets hurt it makes it worse for him as well. So, I'll definitely follow-up. The home is unrepairable and simply a hazard. It was built so long ago that the cost of removing it is probably a very smart part of what the property itself is worth, so finances shouldn't really be a big problem (relatively speaking, of course).

This could be one of those situations where everyone is thinking someone else is taking care of the problem, so no one is taking care of it!
 

GoodWitch58

Beach Fanatic
Oct 10, 2005
4,816
1,921
It might be a good idea just to call the cops...might get faster response than calling a code enforcement. Especially might get the kids out of harms way or at least notify their parents they were in harms way.
 

Allifunn

FunnChef - AlisonCooks.com
Jan 11, 2006
13,636
288
St Petersburg
0301.gif
is this you goodwitch?? I love Glinda!! sorry for the tangent...I just could not resist!
 
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