City: Fire-damaged home won't be demolished

Once stately, the Victorian-style, two-story house sits sadly on a sprawling lot in eastern Hesperia. A fallen TV satellite dish speaks of better days, a time when its owner enjoyed the sanctity of his upscale home in this semi-rural neighborhood.

But that was before a fire ripped through the house several years ago. Firefighters heroically battled to save the structure. Job accomplished, the home was saved — mostly.

Ironically, according to nearby resident George Pond, “It created a monster.” While the basic structure remains intact, blackened, charred portions of the house are visible to passersby.

“It’s an eyesore,” he said. “It’s an unattractive nuisance.”

Though crews boarded up the home at 18128 Valencia St., teenagers pried their way inside and used it as a party pad. Such activity hasn’t been seen recently, however, but Pond is concerned that the abandoned home is bringing down nearby home values by creating an eyesore.

“I’ve call the city two or three times. I’ve talked to Code Enforcement. They say there’s nothing they can do.”

According to Hesperia public information officer Kelly Malloy, the city is going through necessary steps to obtain funds for repairing the boarding. But it’s unlikely the house will be demolished because the amount of damage doesn’t warrant demolition based on a formula taking into account the amount of property damage, building codes and other factors.

“It can be repaired.”

Typically, Malloy said, the city will demolish a structure only when it’s clearly for the public good.

“Once it becomes a true safety issue that’s when we’d decide to demolish it.”

But for now the city is allowing the property owner — who Malloy didn’t identify — time to work with his insurance company to get necessary renovations. That “could take time,” she said.

“We’re letting the process work, and in this case give the homeowner the opportunity to rebuild.”

But Pond believes it’s in the best interest of his neighborhood to see the issue resolved sooner than later.

“I’d like to see the owner repair it, or tear the thing down.”