Monique Jones started her Friday blissfully listening to the sounds of weed whackers and a lawnmower as crews clean up her neighbor’s abandoned home.
“I just said, ‘whew, lord thank you Jesus,’” Jones said. “I just can’t find the words to just really say what I want. I’m just really happy. I’m just happy and I’m just thankful. I’m thankful.”
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The city contracted Career and Recovery Resources, Inc. to visit the Locksley home after KPRC 2′s Rilwan Balogun called the city about Jones’ concerns.
“The city is aware of empty, abandoned houses [that are] overgrown, and if you don’t put forward the issue and put it with the owner, it’s not going to get done,” Jones said. “So, when the owner is not doing it, you have to step up and do something.”
Since airing Jones’ story about her abandoned home and the property owner, Richard Pfirman, several people sent Balogun their own stories.
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A viewer in Spring shared Pfirman’s property near them had been abandoned for years.
“This house has been boarded up and had Harris County Health violations posted by them for at least 4 years,” the viewer said. “The condition has not been fixed; in fact, it has gotten worse. Trees have fallen on the roof, and it has several large holes open to rain and weather.”
In the Briar Creek Subdivision off Sam Houston neighbors shared pictures of a broken garage allowing a clear view inside.
“Why let him keep doing this,” asked Jones. “You got to do something. Enforce the issue. Push it and make him do something or you do something because you’re over him.”
Houston’s Department of Neighborhoods are scheduled to meet with Pfirman in the coming weeks about some of his properties. Jones plans on attending in hopes of convincing someone to tear down the home near her.
He’s not taking care of it. He’s not doing his responsibility. It’s not up to us to take care of his yard. There’s only so much we can do,” Jones said. “I’m not missing that hearing. I’m going to be there. Voice my opinion. Like I said, I’m going to speak up for my neighbors.”