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Empty homes and abandoned properties pose a challenge for Hamilton County

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By Ansley Haman August 30, 2011 7 min read

The property at 2072 Lakeside Lane in Hixson sits uninhabited like it has for well over year with weeds growing over 5-feet tall obscuring the house from the street on Wednesday morning. Neighbors have called city and county officials which has yielded little improvement in the bank owned property.

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BY THE NUMBERS

Property complaints received by the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department2008 — 2382009 — 3362010 — 3732011 — 210 (through Aug. 25)Source: Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department

Barbara and Bobby Burden Sr. who own property next to an overgrown and uninhabited home on Lakeside Lane in Hixson stand at their doorway on Wednesday. They spend much of their year living in Florida but say they are concerned about the vermin that may be living in the overgrown yard and uninhabited house.

A family abandoned the gray house.

Weeds overtook the grass.

A back door blew open.

Feral cats — and depending on who you talk to, maybe a raccoon — began living in the suburban house on Lakeside Lane in Hixson.