The Brief
- A troubled Hudson home overrun with trash, squatters and pit bulls has sparked intense safety fears among nearby residents.
- The Pasco Sheriff’s Office logged six emergency calls to the Clamshell Lane property in less than a month.
- Jailed homeowner Kevin Kappelman faces a strict 45-day cleanup deadline immediately upon his release from custody.
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. …