Local

Gwinnett neighbors want eyesore home taken care of

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Residents in a Gwinnett County neighborhood say a burned-out home and an abandoned car have endangered their community for months.

Channel 2's Kerry Kavanaugh went to look into the eyesore along Tanglewood Road in the Forest subdivision.

"It was a health issue, a safety issue. We were afraid that kids were going to get in there to play and start getting hurt," said neighbor Carol Jones.

"It takes away our property value. It's an eyesore in the community. It needs to be addressed," neighbor Charles Patillo told Kavanaugh.

Neighbors told Kavanaugh they are tired of looking at the charred home, unsecured with debris surrounding the lot and an abandoned car in the driveway.

Residents said the home caught fire in April.

"We've contacted Quality of Life, the police department, the county attorney," Jones said.

Kavanaugh could not get any answers from the county Monday because of the holiday. Neighbors said code enforcement officials have been out to the house, but the only thing that's changed, neighbors say, is that boards went up over the doors and windows in the front of the home a couple of months ago.

But in the back of the home, doorways sit wide open.

Kavanaugh was able to get in contact with the home's owner, Terry Bagwell. He said he is working on taking care of the problems.

"It was a mistake on my part, but I will get it done," Bagwell said.

Bagwell said he's in poor health and on disability, but said he is working with county code enforcement and hopes to make some drastic improvements by this weekend.

"(Neighbors said they) didn't think you had homeowner's insurance. Has that delayed the situation here?" Kavanaugh asked Bagwell.

"Yes ma'am that's correct. And I have been told 'I told you so,' so many times by family," Bagwell said.

Bagwell said his new county-imposed deadline is Sept. 27. He hopes to have this place in much better shape well before then.