The San Diego City Attorney’s Office Friday received court approval to begin the process of cleaning up and rehabilitating a College-area nuisance property where neighbors have complained of foul odors, rodents and piles of trash and junk collected by the owner of the three-bedroom home.
Blocked doors and windows kept city inspectors from walking more than a few feet into the residence, and the junk piles have overflown into neighbors’ yards, attracting vermin, according to the city.
Superior Court Judge Ronald Styn issued an injunction prohibiting the owner from continuing to maintain a public nuisance, and appointed a receiver to clean up the property and offer counseling to the occupant.
Alexander Iatridis told City News Service that he hopes to convince the judge that he’s made progress and needs more time to clean up his property.
City officials had initially sought voluntary compliance from Iatridis, but new junk piles quickly accumulated and neighborhood complaints continued, according to the City Attorney’s Office. Backyard piles of clutter — some more than 8 feet high — created fears that a fire could easily start and spread to nearby homes, officials said.
The city conducted more than 20 inspections of the property and issued multiple notices to Iatridis demanding that he dispose of all the garbage and junk, but he ignored the notices, according to City Attorney Mara Elliott.
“The accumulation of trash and junk can threaten our quality of life and put surrounding neighborhoods at risk,” Elliott said. “We took steps to get Mr. Iatridis the help he needs, and to provide relief and peace of mind to his neighbors.”
The city will recover the costs of rehabilitation, clean up, attorneys’ fees and receiver fees from the homeowner, Elliott said.
—City News Service
