Hudson property dispute: Neighbors demand demolition of troubled home

HUDSON, Fla. - A neighborhood in Hudson is demanding the demolition of a troubled property that residents say has turned their street into a dangerous biohazard.

Pasco County neighborhood chaos

What we know:

A home on Clamshell Lane in Hudson is causing concern among neighbors who say the property is plagued by constant disturbances, roaming rodents and squatters. 

Pastor Jim Pickens, whose House of Faith church sits directly across the street, said a massive blue tent sits behind the home guarded by two pit bulls. He noted that the neighborhood changed drastically over the last seven months, creating a biohazard that threatens families attending his church. 

Next-door neighbor Laura Buckner reported people screaming, scaling windows and committing strange acts every night. The ongoing chaos even forced a local real estate agent, Yvonne LaFon, to pull an adjacent property off the market, because the troubled home lacks electricity, running water and a sewer system.

Records show public agencies are well aware of the property with the Pasco Sheriff's Office responded to six calls at the home since June 18. Pasco County Animal Services handled four loose-dog complaints over the past year, though officers issued warnings instead of citations because the animals belonged to various individuals. 

Pasco County Code Compliance originally cited homeowner Kevin Kappelman on April 20 for accumulating junk and debris. On July 10, a judge ordered Kappelman to pay $168 in fines and mandated a 45-day property cleanup that triggers the moment he is released from jail, where he is currently being held on a felony robbery charge.

Investigation history and background

The backstory:

The property tension has been building steadily since April 20, when county compliance officers first officially documented the debris. The situation escalated significantly over the summer, culminating in a string of sheriff's deputy responses that began in mid-June. 

The July 10 judicial order established the first legal clock for the property's remediation, though actual cleanup cannot begin until Kappelman resolves his separate felony robbery case and leaves county custody.