SOMETIMES THE WORST NEIGHBOURS ARE THOSE WHO ARE NEVER HOME ... WHEN VANDALS
AND DRUG DEALERS MOVE IN, CLEANUP COSTS US

There's loud music, lawns infested with weeds, and ancient jalopies
turning to rust before your eyes.

There's peeling paint, rowdy parties, and sidewalks thick with
ice.

There are endless ways to be a lousy neighbour, and we've all suffered
a nincompoop next door at some point.

But think yourself lucky if the source of your grief is a loud stereo
- -- an increasing number of unlucky homeowners in this
recession-battered city are falling victim to the worst neighbour of
all.

It's the neighbour that isn't there.

According to Calgary's bylaw department, vacant and abandoned homes
are a growing blight on dozens of Calgary neighbourhoods, with
squatters, vandals and drug users taking over the empty houses and
ruining decent streets in the process.

"As the economic slowdown continues, it's becoming more common to see
homes left empty," said Bill Bruce, Calgary chief bylaw officer.

Such homes may have been abandoned in mid-renovation, or purchased
when the market was hot and left vacant when prices cooled.

Right now, there's little that can be done other than to issue endless
warnings and fines to absentee owners or a numbered company on the
title, as the home falls into disrepair.

In March, bylaw officials hope to change that, by asking city council
to approve a negligent neighbour bylaw, meaning instant fines for
repeat offenders, and in the case of empty homes, a green light to
demolish.

A house that's allowed to degenerate into a den of depravity and filth
will be bulldozed, leaving a empty lot in its place.

"We'd ultimately just level it, until there's a clean, vacant lot, and
the only issue then is weeds," said Bill Bruce, Calgary's chief bylaw
officer.

"The bylaw would put pressure on a property owner to do something
about the problem, or we will."

Bruce said the new bylaw will mainly deal with the hundreds of
scofflaws who cause a headache for his officers, refusing to shovel
snow, mow the lawn or deal with weeds until a warning is issued.

Instead of a warning for every snowfall, Bruce wants city council to
pass a one-warning system -- once you've been told to shape up, every
complaint thereafter will result in an instant fine, plus the cost of
having a city crew do the work for you.

"Having to issue a warning for every complaint is costing taxpayers,"
said Bruce.

"If I'm at the same property three or four times a year, and each time
we have to give a notice telling the property owner to correct the
situation, it's expensive -- we don't think it's fair to keep charging
the taxpayer."

But there's a chasm of difference between dandelions and a crack house
next door.

Vacant homes can lower property values, while needles, condoms and
other paraphernalia littering the site are a safety hazard for kids.

Glen Moman, president of Block Watch for Albert Park/Radisson Heights,
has the misfortune of living near two vacant properties.

"We'd love to have something done -- this kind of thing has been going
on for years," said Moman.

"A new bylaw would be awesome -- where do I sign?"

Just down the street, the remains of a burned house and its garage
were both used by addicts and squatters, until a recent stabbing
resulted in the site being fenced off.

Fencing hasn't worked at another abandoned home a few blocks away,
gutted in an arson attack in November.

Already, the green barrier has been forced open, and a shanty built
from boards and tarps sits in the backyard, metres away from the house
next door.

Moman said the houses are a major eyesore, but he worries most for
children who play there.

"The house was beginning to fall down, and kids were playing in the
place," said Moman, of the property just down the street.

Ald. Andre Chabot said there are houses in a similar state throughout
the city, and he agrees a warning and fine aren't enough.

"I think we need to go beyond that -- it's an ongoing concern, and
right now, there are limited opportunities for the city to step in,"
said Chabot.