A foreclosed home at 15335 Kennedy Rd. has become a nuisance for nearby neighbors who complain that the property is run down and unsightly.
Los Gatos resident Ian Felix, who lives next to the house, reported the problem to Los Gatos Patch on April 18. He said he wanted help from Patch to publicize the situation so the town would force the responsible parties to clean up the property.
The neighborhood is in the Los Gatos mountains near multimillion-dollar mansions and large estates.
A flier inside one of the home's windows alerts against trespassing and says vandalizing or defacing the property will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. It also lists AFG Realty as the representative for the home.
"As representative of this property, we, AFG Realty, hereby authorize PG&E to enter the premises to determine if appliances are in working condition and to do safety checks," the flier states.
Toni Brinkman, a Realtor with AFG Realty, said she had been hired by Wells Fargo Bank to clean up and sell the property. She said four large trash bins full of garbage have been hauled away, and the site looks "150 times better" than when it was first reported to code enforcement after it foreclosed on March 8.
"I have been working as quickly as legally possible to take care of the home and the cleanup," she said, adding that Mark Hildebrandt, Los Gatos code enforcement officer, has helped her with the effort.
Los Gatos Patch also contacted Vickee J. Adams, vice president of mortgage communications for Wells Fargo. She responded with the following statement: “Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We began working with local realtors immediately after the foreclosure sale to clean up the property and improve the home’s appearance for resale. Wells Fargo is committed to our communities, and we are resolving this situation with daily improvements and protections."
LOCATION: 15335 Kennedy Rd., Los Gatos
EYESORE: Foreclosed home becoming a dumping ground, abandoned.
RESPONSIBLE AGENCY: AFG Realty, Wells Fargo Bank, Los Gatos Code Enforcement.
CONTACT: Los Gatos Code Compliance Program officer Mark Hildebrandt, 408-399-5720; AFG Realty representative Toni Brinkman, 408-723-2020, and Wells Fargo Bank Home Mortgage spokeswoman Vickee Adams at 515-213-4610, or email her at vickee.j.adams@wellsfargo.com.
DATE REPORTED: April 18, 2011
