Ellenton eyesore: Neighbors fear squatters in run-down Colony Cove home
Squatter house nightmare
A run-down home in Manatee County has turned one woman's retirement into a nightmare. It is located in a senior-living community in Ellenton and neighbors want the house to be torn down. FOX 13's Blake DeVine reports.
ELLENTON, Fla. - A run-down home in Manatee County has turned one woman's retirement into a nightmare.
Ellenton run-down home issues
What we know:
Patti Clark chose Colony Cove, a 55-and-up community in Ellenton, to spend her golden years after her husband died. She purchased her house two years ago, hoping to discover a new community to call home.
Resident safety fears
What they're saying:
"In my last decade in my life, I wanted to be around people," Clark said. "I wanted [to] join clubs, activities, do arts and crafts and play bingo."
Clark says those plans changed because of the deteriorating pink house next door.
"I'm a senior, and I'm by myself," Clark said. "I don't want to live in a house knowing that there's squatters next door."
Neighbor Nancy Ross says the home has remained in poor condition since Hurricane Milton.
"If we get a really bad storm, there’s things that are just hanging in there," Ross said. "I mean they’re not even attached to the house anymore."
Colony Cove concerning property history
The backstory:
Clark alleges the situation began before she bought her home. She showed FOX 13's Blake DeVine a sign posted on the neighboring property that read ‘Future New Home Site.’
Clark says the sign led her to believe the existing house would be demolished and replaced.
"It was really kind of false deception for me to buy the house," Clark said. "I thought it was going to be demolished."
Community property future options
Dig deeper:
As the months passed, neighbors say conditions surrounding the property continued to worsen.
"There's rats here and debris lying around," Ross said. "I think it needs to be torn down."
Clark believes there is only one way to resolve the situation.
"Tear that house down immediately, or I want the money back that I paid on this house," Clark said. "I want my lot fee back and I'll be out of this community."
FOX 13 reached out to the property management group for Colony Cove for comment and is still waiting for a response.
The Source: Information for this story came from interviews with Ellenton neighbors in the Colony Cove community and previous reporting on FOX 13 News.