Southside property to be demolished: ‘We are in a jungle’

Each spring, the Johnsons reach out to the CBS 6 Problem Solvers because their neighbor's property becomes consumed with overgrown vegetation.

Often a Good Samaritan will cut the grass, but the existing problems are never resolved.

HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THESTORY OF A RICHMOND COUPLE FORYEARS...ETHY'RE LIVING IN THEIR DREAMHOME...BUT WHEN THEY WALK OUTSIDE, THEYSAY IT'S A NIGHTMARE.THEIR HOUSE IS SITTING BETWEENTWO PROPERTIESWITH UNKEPT YARDS.J<IB TO 9 MON LIVEOUR BRENDAN KING TELLS USWHAT THE CITY IS DOING ABOUTIT...AND WHAT YOU CAN DO IF YOU'REIN A SIMILAR SPOT...BRENDAN?CANDACE FAMILIES HERE ON THESOUTHSIDE ARE CERTAINLY FED UP.EACH SPRING WHENTH EIRNEIGHBOR'S GRASS GROWS ANDGROWS THEY FEAR THE CREATURES,SNAKES OR BUGS THAT MAY BELURKING IN THE WEEDSLOUISE JNSOHON/LIVES NEAROVERGROWN PROPERTIES11:41:14 THE NEIGHBORHOOD HASBEEN WONDERFUL, QUIETLIKE WE'VE ALWAYSE NJOYED AFTER50 YEARS - LOUISE JOHNSONAND HER HUSBAND HAVE NO PLANS TOMOVE FROM RICHMOND'SSOUTHSIDE LOUISE JOHNSON/LIVESNEAR OVERGROWN PROPERTIES11:41:28 AND WE JUST FEELBLESSED TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TOSTAYHERE THAT MANY YEARS AND BEALIVEHOWEVER WITHIN THE LAST FOURYEARS OR SO - THE VEGETATIONCONTINUES TO OUGRTOW TWOPROPERTIES ON RIDGEMONT ROADIT'S REALLY BEEN A STRAIN FOR MEAND MY HUSBAND MRS JOHNSON'SPROPERTY SITS SANDWICHEBD ETWEENTWO HOMES - BOTHWITH OVERGROWN GRASS AND TREESLOUISE JOHNSON/LIVESNEAR OVERGROWN PROPERTIES11:52:52 IT'S GROWING EVENFASTER NOW, THIS IS JUST THEBENNGIING OF MAY AND YOU HAVEALLOF THESE SUMMER MONTHS CHECKTHIS OUT - YOU CAN EVEN SEETHROUGH THE ROOF OF ONE HOME ASYOU CAN SEE IT'S GOIG NTO FALLDOWN ON ITS OWN THERE HAVEBEENA NUMBER OF ISSUES WITH THISPROPERTY KEVIN VONCKSERVES AS THE CITY'S ACTINGDIRECORT IN THE DEPARTMENT OFPLANNING AND DEVELOPNMET REVIEWIN AUGUST OF LAST YEAR WE DIDISSUEAN UNSAFE NOTICE TO THE PROPERTYBECAUSE OF THE ROOF AND IT'S INDANGER OF COLLAPSING WEARE MAKING PREPARATIONS TO ENTERTHAT INTO OUR DEMOLITIONPROGRAM.HERE'S THE ISSUE -THE OWNERS OF BOTH OPRPERTIESDIED YEARS AGOBY LAW THE CITY IS REQUIRED TOMEAKA GOOD FAITH EFFORT TO CONTACTANY PROPERTYOWNERS OR FAMILY MEMBERS WE DOTRY TO EXHAUST ALL THEEFFORTS TO REMEDY THE SITUATIONAN DHAVE IT COME TOCOMPLIANCE.IF YOU LIVE NEAR APROPERTY LKEI THIS - VONCKENCOURAGES YOU TO FILE ACOMPLAINT WITH RVA 311 NUMBER OFTHESE PROBLEMS MAYINVOLVED DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTSAND IT REALLY HELPSUS TO TRACK THESE CASES ANDASSIGN PEOPLE AND TAKE ACTIONLIKE WE ARE IN A JUNGLE THEJOHNSONS SAY THEY JUST WANT ALITTLE RELIEF FROM ALL THISGREENERYSOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ANDITNEEDS TO BE DONE RIGHT AWAYHET CITY SAYS THEY WILLSCHEDULE A TIME FOR A THIRDPARTYCONTRACTOR TO COME OUT AND CUTTHE GRASS HERE.WE DON'T KNOWWHAT THAT WILL BE BUT WE WILLKEEPYOU UPDATED WORKING FOR YOU INRICHMOND IM BK CBS SIX NEWS<ANCHORS T