Seaside Heights Residents Want Officials To Take Care Of Zombie Property

SEASIDE HEIGHTS, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Residents in one Jersey Shore town are calling for officials to take care of a zombie property that was abandoned after Superstorm Sandy.

CBS2's Meg Baker reported that owners of multiple houses on Sampson Avenue in Seaside Heights have not been able to rent out their homes because of a multi-rental property that was abandoned after Sandy called Melrose by the Sea.

"This is sad for the people here," resident Carroll Anne said. "How do you rent with this?"

Less than a block from the beach, the area is prime real estate. However, the windows are boarded up, it's infested with rodents and the grass and shrubs are overgrown.

"I hope they act on this because it becomes an eyesore, not only for myself, but the whole town," resident Robert Pizzuti said.

Neighbors said it isn't only animals getting into the abandoned building, that police have had to chase a couple away who were illegally living inside.

"They wait till the nighttime, then they go back in," Pizzuti said.

He even said he had to rescue a kid playing hide-and-seek inside.

"I got a crow bar, broke down the door, and got him out," Pizzuti said.

The town said the property was in foreclosure prior to Sandy. The owners have since passed away and the issue has been caught in the legal system for more than seven years.

"We are trying to get an administrative warrant where we can go in and look at the structure," Mayor Tony Vaz said. "We can tell you already it's for demolition."

That may take three weeks after the second sheriff's sale. Demolition is estimated to be more than $90,000 with a lien against the property.

"Having a structure like this hurts us very much," Vaz said.

Since Vaz took office this past year, he has made it his mission to improve the look and clientele of Seaside Heights, knocking down zombie properties.

The town said it has at least ten other properties they have tagged for demolition.