KSAT Defenders: Neighbor complains about gutted mobile home on NE Side

Defenders get county to take action on eyesore mobile home destroyed by fire nearly a year ago

SAN ANTONIO – A mobile home gutted by fire over Labor Day weekend in 2012 is one step closer to being cleaned up after the KSAT 12 Defenders step in.

Ray Rivers lives next door to the home in the Regency Village Mobile Home Park off of Montgomery Road and emailed the Defenders to complain that no one has done anything about the eyesore for nearly a year.

In July 2012, the owner of the home on Montgomery Oak shot at two teenage intruders, hitting one.

Five weeks later, no one was living there when a fire was deliberately set. Flames were shooting from the home when firefighters arrived and it was pronounced a total loss.

"It's a year later and it's still here," Rivers said.

Rivers said he is tired of seeing the blackened walls, jagged glass, graffiti and debris inside and outside the gutted home.

He also worries about what goes on inside.

"(I) worry about kids (who) could be dealing drugs in there," Rivers said.

He had no luck getting the mobile home park to take action and knew the county had limited enforcement powers on code violations so he called the Defenders.

"It makes me sick," Rivers said.

The Defenders contacted the county and they sent a team out immediately to investigate and determined the burned mobile home did violate county code.

County Engineer Renee Green said what could have been a lengthy process to find the home's owner went actually very quickly.

"Once you contacted us, we went out there that day," Green said.

They took pictures inside and outside the mobile home, documenting the damage. Then they contacted the owner and asked him to clean up the mess.

"He has said he has made arrangements to have that trailer moved out within a week," Green said.

That is good news for Ray Rivers.

Still, Green said notices of violation are being sent to the owner and the mobile home park.

Legally, the owner has 30 days to clean up the mess after being served with a notice of violation.

The county said it will work with people for up to six months if they are having trouble completing the work.

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