Yvonne Means has lived in her neat, tidy Cleveland home for 30 years. She works hard on the place, but never gets to show it off.
"I hate to have my friends come out and visit," Means said.
Means is not embarrassed of her home, but she can't stand the one across the street.
"We work so hard and the property value has gone down around here very quickly," Means said.
Fannie Mae, the company that used to own the Cleveland home, may now owe Means and others on her street money.
Fannie Mae and the Utah based Go-Invest Wisely have restitution hearings in front of Cleveland housing court Judge Raymond Pianka this month.
Documents show Go-Invest Wisely used to own another home in the area.
Court officials said if the people forced to live around either of the run-down properties can prove they've suffered an economic loss, they could be paid restitution.
"So I think that it's a huge victory for neighbors, for residents, for people that have had to live next to these properties for years, safety concerns for their kids for their families, you know, loss of property values," said James Rudyk, Community Organizer with ESOP (a non-profit group that helps people going through foreclosure). "So I think its about time something happens."
Rudyk is trying to get a restitution hearing on another property.
"The front door is open, there is graffiti, windows are busted out and its right behind an elementary school," he said.
Rudyk said the property used to be owned by Go-Invest Wisely as well, but now belongs to a company out of the country.
Edith Crum and many of the neighbors like the idea that having to deal with these abandoned properties could finally pay off.
"I'm trying to live in a nice neighborhood and keep up my property, and look at this raggedy house," Crum said.
"I think we deserve it. Maybe more people will use that money to put back into their own homes and fix them up," said neighbor Willettea Gaffney Roberts.
Means still has reservations that the community will ever get paid restitution.
"It's going to be a fight. I don't think they'll do this voluntarily," she said.
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