Neighbors rejoice after Kansas City's 'house from hell' finally comes down

It's been a constant battle for Anita Potts, who grew up in the neighborhood. Her parents still live there.

"It's been long overdue. I've been complaining this piece of property since the early 90s and finally, someone listened," Potts said.

Potts has faithfully complained about the property on almost a weekly basis for years. She finally spoke to KCTV5 News about the mess hoping some public pressure would solve the problem.

KCTV5 has done five reports on the property and followed along as neighbors would complain about all of the problems that come along with blight. The house attracted squatters and critters. Neighbors say it became a crime magnet.

KCTV5 decided to call it "the house from hell" because it absolutely was.

"It's not where you live it's how you live," Jason Turner said.

Turner lives next door to the eyesore. He says it was tough to even let his kids play outside because he didn't know what's going on next door.

The city struggled with that abandoned property for years. It finally became available for public sale through the city's Land Bank program. The city said the foundation was in good shape and the property could be rehabilitated. Neighbors disagreed. The house had been stripped of copper wiring and the broken windows meant plants were growing inside the house.

"Give me a break!" Potts said when she learned the city hoped to sell the property.

The city did eventually find a willing buyer but then discovered the property had almost a $60,000 lien.

"We decided it would be best interest neighborhood to just go ahead and take the house down," said John Baccala, a public information officer for Kansas City's neighborhoods and housing services department.

Potts, Turner and other neighbors were thrilled to see the house come down.

"All thanks to her! Anita Potts ... she did it. She did it!" Turner said.

"Now if they would just listen to the neighbors and take care of blight, we would be a better place to live," Potts said.