Trashed Milwaukie house gets clean up treatment

MILWAUKIE, Ore. (KOIN) — A trashed house in Milwaukie underwent a clean up through the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office nuisance program Thursday.

A backhoe, debris dumpster and other cleaning methods were in use at the house, 14611 SE Cedar Street, authorities said. They found things like needles, pots and pans and nasty mattresses piled up inside.

Neighbors have complained about this and other homes in the area. Many of the nuisance homes are foreclosed and owned by banks, and have been trashed by transients, the sheriff’s office said.

Neighbor Connie Held is happy the clean up happened, but says it took too long.

“What is discouraging I think for all of us is how long these processes take,” she told KOIN 6 News.

Clackamas County Deputy Mark Nikolai admits clean up of problem houses is kind of a grey area. But he knows neighbors are frustrated, which is why the county wants to help neighbors get action more quickly.

“We finally took a stance to try to come up with some creative ways of dealing with it and hopefully we are going to be able to use these same tactics with other homes in the county.”

A list of other problem houses is being put together to make it easier for banks and homeowners to improve these spots. In addition, the sheriff’s office said it will use some creative conversation to get owners, sometimes banks, to understand the urgency of these problems.

Residents with questions or complaints can call the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, 503.785.500, or the Clackamas County Code Enforcement, 503.742.4452.