Fortuna Cleans Up Residence That Had 116 Visits by Police in Four Years, Child Welfare Called

Trashy home

Trash spills across the front of a home on Acacia Drive in Fortuna. [Photo provided by a neighbor]

From complaints of rats to an attempted homicide, a home on Acacia Drive in Fortuna has had its share of encounters with law enforcement–116 in just four years. After Measure E, a three-quarter percent sales tax, was voted for in November of 2016, the money raised allowed the City of Fortuna to hire a part-time code-compliance officer, retired Humboldt County Sheriff’s lieutenant Wayne Hanson. Since January, Hanson has been wrangling troubled properties through the multi-step process to force cleanup.

Until he started work, the City “didn’t have the means and manpower to deal,” he told us. But, since Fortuna has had a code-compliance officer, a number of properties are moving through the process.

Cats rescued from the home.

Some of the cats rescued from a home in September. [Photo provided by a neighbor]

In early September, over 20 cats and over 15 birds were removed from one feces and mold-filled home on Senestraro Way. Charges of animal cruelty were recommended against the owners.

Yesterday, cleaners from New Life Services (“They are trained in Hazmat and bodily fluids,” Hanson told us) began carting off trash from the home on Acacia Drive.

Child Welfare was called to assess the needs of children in the home by a neighbor as the extent of the situation there unfolded.

Hanson described finding “hundreds of used, uncapped needles” on the lot and appliances “that are discarded in the front yard.”

Needles in an old ice chest.

Some of the hundreds of needles, Fortuna says is being found today at the home. [Photo provided by Wayne Hanson]

He told us that “for years” the inhabitants have “thrown their trash…in the backyard.” He said, “The neighbors were complaining about a large amount of rats coming to their house from this one.”

Two motor homes have already been removed from the lot, he noted. “At least two 40-yard dumpsters of waste will be removed from this little lot and that’s just on the outside.”

A neighbor who wished to be anonymous told us, “It is truly awful with rats and garbage and so much more–broken down cars, violence, fights, and the worst part [–there is] at least one child that lives there full time and two other younger ones we see often. We believe CPS is working to help the kids but the more attention this gets the better [their] case could be.”

She said another neighbor talked to a member of the cleanup crew who told them “that he can actually see rats running out from under the debris heap in the back yard and he says he saw human feces on the ground in the garage.”

Garbage in a yard

Garbage filled the backyard but now some of the yard has been scraped bare. [Photo by Wayne Hanson]

She added that she is “grateful the city has a code enforcement manager who set his sights on this with laser focus.”

So far, Hanson’s efforts (he only works 18 hours a week) have led to the rescue of a number of animals and now, possibly, to children getting assistance.

Documentation Hanson used to get the property through the system for cleanup is being given to child services. This includes research enumerating the number of times and why the Fortuna Police were called to the home. This will assist child services in possibly building a case to help the children in whatever ways deemed necessary.

The process is slow. “When I start a case on a house, I start documenting,” he explained. “It’s time consuming because you have to be constantly visiting.”

He added that then he contacts the property owner and gives a verbal warning. The person is eventually served papers. “We ask the residents to please clean it up voluntarily,” he said. “We tell them we don’t want to send you a huge bill.”

Than 30 days later, he said, he serves official notice. He does this face to face which can take multiple attempts. In this case, he explained that he talked to the resident weekly. “But I don’t think she has the means or the ability [to clean up,]” he told us.

After that, he said, “Then there’s a city manager hearing, who rules on [whether the place needs cleanup]. Then the resident has 15 days to come up with a plan and begin removing the trash.

Bobcat removing trash.

Bobcat removing trash.[Photo provided by a neighbor]

The current resident of Acacia Drive agreed at this point to allow the City to hire cleanup services but, in other homes Hanson is still trying get cleaned up, the owners may chose to go before the City Council. Then, if they lose that appeal, He will serve another 15 day notice. After that, forced cleanup begins and the City pays for it.

The cost, in either case, goes as a lien on the property through its taxes. Hanson explained though, “If you don’t pay for the period of five years, then the county starts the process to auction off the property.”

The estimated cleanup costs are expected to exceed $12,500.

But the City avoids punitive measures. In the case of the Acacia Drive resident, Hanson told us, “She is not in trouble…[There are] no fines associated with this other than the cost of the cleanup.”

While we spoke with Hanson by phone at the Acacia Drive home today, a older neighbor walked up and began speaking to him. “Thank you! Thank you, one and all!” she said. “The whole neighborhood will be better off without this!”

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The Roiling Ghost of Helene Barney's Dad
Guest
The Roiling Ghost of Helene Barney's Dad
4 years ago

This is so sad. From start to finsh.
What’s going to become of the kids and their grandmother? How is she supposed to pay that fee? How does she keep her kid from coming back and doing this to her all over again?
The thought dhhs will keep the kids from having to live with that truly deplorable parent is utterly laughable.

And we cannot watch what dhhs does.

The kids’ right to privacy is important, but dhhs hides behind it so the public doesnt see the inhumane job they are doing.

Junkiefilth
Guest
Junkiefilth
4 years ago

F$&k tweaker filth, their supporters and enablers… you either refuse or allow this disease a place in your life. It infects your family, your kids, your yard, your neighbors… this is why they are called “Junkies”…

Roseann
Guest
Roseann
4 years ago

It is an emergency when children are living in that filth
It is a public health crisis
Get those children out of there
The abuse that is going on is horrible and by that I mean to live with rats and filth and drugs is abuse.
Who knows what else these children are suffering
Child welfare
Get on it!!!!

Hiya Neighbor
Guest
Hiya Neighbor
4 years ago

The real question is why a registered sex offender (grandma) is allowed to have her grandchild live there with her? CPS do your thing.

Samantha May Lee
Guest
Samantha May Lee
4 years ago
Reply to  Hiya Neighbor

That’s one heck of a thing to say re the grandmother. If she’s registered she should not have children living with her nor should she be anywhere near where kids are. Kym Kemp–is there any registration of a sex offender on this street/at address of cited house?

Neighbor
Guest
4 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

The grandmother is a registered sex offender that cares for her 9 year old grandson because is mother is to busy running around doing deals and running around with differnt men. We were neighbors on Acacia Dr and moved due to the high level of drug use, non stop traffic for drug deals at all hours of the day and night,violence. That childs mother is a POS. They have had their water turned off for a period of time and getting water from neighbors. She has let her child be subjected to all of this. Knowing all of that he needs to be completely removed from their custody.

Humboldt County Line
Guest
Humboldt County Line
4 years ago

It’s not against the law for a registrant to have children in their home. If the person is on probation or parole it’s typically a condition, but once they clear that hurdle it’s not a crime.

You’d be amazed how many folks knowingly let their kids live in homes with registrants.

Dog
Guest
Dog
4 years ago

If she was registered for indecent exposure or something like that, it would be one thing to have kids there. But she was convicted of long term child molestation and making child porn…look it up. And part of her defense was that a meth addiction caused them to do those things to the kids…and now used needles are found there in large amounts? She did 9 years of a 25 year sentence…and drugs are being used there again..and ” she’s not in trouble” says the sheriff??

Humboldt County Line
Guest
Humboldt County Line
4 years ago
Reply to  Dog

Don’t misconstrue what I’m saying, I’m not trying to advocate for registrants. I just think many people are misinformed and will tell you things like:
-registrants can’t live by schools
-registrants can’t live by parks
-registrants can’t have kids in their homes

These things just aren’t accurate.

yuck
Guest
yuck
4 years ago
Reply to  Dog

Yuck. I looked it up. Not hard to do- find address, search occupants and sex offenders then look at Megan’s law website.

I hope the FPD at least got a warrant to look at her computer???

Just sayin
Guest
Just sayin
4 years ago

🤮

Wicca
Guest
Wicca
4 years ago

Because DHHS would much rather take children that do not need to be taken than to actually displace children that do need help and are in abusive and neglectful situations.

guest
Guest
guest
4 years ago
Reply to  Wicca

So sad, and so true… it’s like wtf?

Lily
Guest
Lily
4 years ago
Reply to  Wicca

I second that sister. This is the type of situation where a child may be in danger. Leave the children who have loving parents and are fine alone. In my opinion they are baby stealers

It doesn't matter
Guest
It doesn't matter
4 years ago

The real problem here is that the city of Fortuna let this happen to this extent. There’s no excuse.

Toni Brockington
Guest
Toni Brockington
4 years ago

I agree. The city blames its neglect on lack of funds. Meanwhile, it is prohibited for Fortuna to have dispensaries, the taxes from which would provide the necessary funds to enforce city ordinances. The “good old boy” city government seemingly would rather be unable to prevent situations like this, than to finally admit that cannabis IS legal in California.

It doesn't matter
Guest
It doesn't matter
4 years ago

Not to mention the countless laws & codes that aren’t enforced that could otherwise be generating revenue. I’m certainly not suggesting more laws since they’re not enforcing the ones they have already.
Eureka has the same problem w lack of code enforcement.
It’s about time the citizens take up a class action lawsuit against the city of Fortuna & force their hand on the dispensaries.

Marilynne Walpole
Guest
Marilynne Walpole
4 years ago

This is not the city of Fortuna’s fault. We are all responsible for ourselves & our actions. Instead of criticizing, maybe help be part of a solution.

catbus1974
Guest
catbus1974
3 years ago

The city is us

Anon
Guest
Anon
4 years ago

Wow humb recology will grab your trash and recycling for 27/month.. a buck a day… Come on!! No excuse . (Except addiction 🙁 our town swirls the drain )

Zimmy
Guest
Zimmy
4 years ago

Come all without, come all within, you’ll not see mothing like the Mighty Wayne…

Muddy Black Dodge
Guest
Muddy Black Dodge
4 years ago

Holy smokes!!! That’s bad, my heart goes out to any kids living there

10 toes
Guest
10 toes
4 years ago

Same here …. breaks my heart for the kids .

thetallone
Guest
thetallone
4 years ago

Amazing that something like this could go on for so long, but if you try to use your own water on your own land, they swoop down like buzzards.

Jmarie
Guest
Jmarie
4 years ago

I remember reading an article yesterday on here about needle’s being found in the streets of Fortuna.
Could this home be the source?

Ice
Guest
Ice
4 years ago
Reply to  Jmarie

No. There are used ones. The found ones are new.

Mogtx
Guest
4 years ago

How come Fortuna pd does nothing about the house on rohnerville road meth flop house with cars parked every were evertime i drive buy there are tweekers in the yard tweeking on the cars the trailer next to him has been ion hoarders eel river disposal cleaned it up once .it is a mess also .they could bust therm sll for being under the inflence .hiwever fpd does nothing about it .

Guest
Guest
Guest
3 years ago
Reply to  Mogtx

You guys do know that the FBI is in the fourth story of the preston center overlooking the trailer park and hells angels club on main next to ACE right?? Go complain to them if fpd does nothing.

Me
Guest
Me
4 years ago

I was raised in Fortuna. I moved away for years. I planned on moving back to Fortuna to raise my son. When I got back there, I found the city has gone to hell. Not just Fortuna but Humbolt county as a whole. They have let the druggies and homeless tolake of an control the area. Fortuna has always been a Good ol boys club.

Infectious Grave
Guest
Infectious Grave
4 years ago

How is it that Humboldt County can justify going in and slapping the multitude of fines for grows that they do, yet, act like this filthy, far more hazardous toxic dump house is an ‘o poor grandma, we can’t make her clean it, so we’ll do it for her. And the audacity of those who look to blame her adult children for the mess, when she is guaranteed just as responsible for all of the garbage. I can imagine the inside is worse. And get the kids the fuck out of there !!! WTF is wrong with people. If I were there neighbor, I would have been hosing down the entire property daily and I would have been making such an obnoxious scene daily they would not have been able to sleep from it and why should they, with rats the size of pigs running around . [edit]

Cowabunga
Guest
Cowabunga
4 years ago

Sounds like there could be some pig-nosed rats running around.

Craig
Guest
Craig
4 years ago

116 visits by law enforcement in 4 years?………… a red flag should have been thrown after the first year. It’s sad to hear that Fortuna can barely afford one 18 hour a week code enforcement officer, and one has to wonder what it cost to send an FPD officer to that residence 116 times.

Help the kids
Guest
4 years ago
Reply to  Craig

When we lived on that street I was scared to allow my kids to play outside because of the zombie looking people coming and going from their house to do their drugs/dealing. It was NON STOP. The city cleaning it will just post pone them leaving. There has been 116 calls in 4 years. That is telling. They should take it into account what our town , neighbors and kids on that street had to be subjected to. All of them at that house a drug users. That 9 year old sees drug deal, watches people shooting up and living with garbage, faeces, rats, hypodermic needles,going without food and water.

Smittyrivers
Guest
Smittyrivers
4 years ago

Years ago I called DHHS when three little girls were living in deplorable conditions, including being locked outside in the rain so their dad could sleep. The two year old was even found standing in the middle of a busy road at 7 a.m. in only a dirty diaper. DHHS told us after the investigation that there was nothing they could do since the girls lives were not in danger. Seriously?