NEW YORK – One New York City home doesn't fit in with its million-dollar neighbors.
The house, located at 76 Joline Avenue in Staten Island, has been abandoned for months. But before that, squatters lived there. What’s left behind is rotting garbage, overgrown weeds and a front porch that is falling apart.
The pool in the backyard is filled with green slime and old furniture.
"It definitely needs to be taken care of," said Dennis, who lives two doors down. "It's bad."
Neighbors worry about mosquitos and disease from the sludge-filled pool, and, as the temperature rises during the summer, so too does the smell, they say.
Cats, dogs and possums visit the property at night, ripping open trash bags to eat the garbage.
Local residents have tried to track down the owner of the so-called "zombie home," but with no luck.
"I don't know what it's going to take," said one woman who didn't want to be identified. "I've had cops show up, I've had the health department show up numerous times."
WPIX searched city records and found seven complaints were made with the Department of Buildings about the home in the last year. There are 12 open violations with the DOB and the last owner owes the city over $58,000 in penalties.
The last owner of the home could not be reached for comment.
