“Garbage and debris” from a house on the 2100 block of California Street in Eureka. | Photos courtesy Eureka Police Department.

The same property after EPD cleaned up.

Press release from the Eureka Police Department:

For several months, both the Eureka Police Department’s Problem Oriented Policing unit and the City of Eureka’s Code Enforcement team have received complaints from the community regarding two properties in the city. These complaints ranged from quality of life issues to suspected violations of various health and safety codes including hazardous construction, large accumulations of garbage, rodent infestations, fire hazards and unsanitary conditions, including a lack of running water and the use of backyard latrines. The residences are located at the 1300 block of 11th Street and the 2100 block of California Street. 

Both Code Enforcement and the POP team have investigated the reports and have been attempting to address the observed violations with the owners and residents of the locations with little success. 

Due to the ongoing violations and the presence of conditions which create a safety hazard for both residents and the surrounding community, warrants were secured and both locations were vacated and sealed against entry until the properties are brought up to code.

Over one hundred cubic yards of garbage and debris were removed from the yards of these problem properties.

The property on 11th Street before EPD cleaned up.

After the clean-up.

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Note: The headline to this post has been changed to reflect that Eureka’s Code Enforcement Unit was instrumental in this effort. As Eureka’s Deputy Director of Public Works Brian Issa explains, “Code Enforcement writes the warrants, rents the dumpsters, hires the contractors, and provides the majority of the manpower and equipment for the cleanup.”