The clean up is underway at this house on 34th Ave West.  Here is how it looks today.  Much better than this shot we took yesterday.

As we first reported, the man who lived here has been evicted for failing to pay taxes.  He left behind piles of garbage and junk in the home he had lived in since the 1950’s.

We talked to the new owners of the house today and they tell us they are making progress.  They estimate they have already removed over four thousand pounds of debris from the home.  Most of the main rooms are clear and the house actually looked surprisingly good when we took a tour inside. 

The new owners are long time Magnolia residents who plan to fix up the home and keep it in their family.  They still have lots to clear out, including the attic and backyard.  The house has been without water for a long time and they are having it hooked up tomorrow. 

They bought the house when it was in forclosure and they say the knew it was bad but they were still surprised by the piles of refuse when they got their first look inside.  

The new owners say they have experience fixing up homes, they just helped their son overhaul a home on the eastside. They plan to get rid of the Confederate flag as soon as they can figure how to get the giant fiberglass flagpole down.

We understand that the previous owner is now living with relatives.

If you have ever driven down 34th Ave West, you have seen the house flying a Confederate flag, with a classic red pickup in front and piles of junk all over the yard.  The house has always been a mess in this neighborhoold of nicely kept homes, with beat up cars everywhere and trash around the propery.  Now the man who has lived in the home since the 1950’s has been evicted.

The man was legally removed from the home because he owed back taxes and the bank took the home back.  He has reportedly lived there all his life and the home was given to him by his mother. 

The home was sold in a public auction and the buyer bought it sight unseen for around $300,000.  The new owner is now responsible for cleaning it up.  When we visited the house today neighbors told us that the new owners are beginning the process but its unclear how long it will take to make it liveable.  Some wonder if the house will have to be torn down.  There are  reports of human waste in the house and when we looked in the windows you could see it was filled with garbage.  The back yard is also severely overgrown.  It looks like a huge amount of work.

Neighbors are relieved to have the man gone.  They say the place has been an eyesore for years and he has refused to clean it.  The home has not had running water for over two years and he actually tried to tap into the neighbor’s water line at one point.  The place is filled with debris.  The man was known to visit neighborhood garage sales and purchase more stuff to add to his piles of junk.

No word on where the former owner is now.