Little Havana residents say neighbor has been hoarding trash for at least 10 years

City of Miami officials say code compliance, city attorneys addressing concerns

MIAMI – Officials with the city of Miami are working with a homeowner in Little Havana to clean up the area around his home, which neighbors say looks likes piles of trash.

"Ugh, disgusting. It's pretty gross," one neighbor said.

Neighbors told Local 10 News investigative reporter Bob Norman that the homeowner has racked up complaints with the city of Miami and for good reason.

A view from one neighbor's porch shows a wrecked boat dumped in the yard of the home.

"I think he's just a hoarder and he just puts crap away," a neighbor said.

One mound alone is about 10 feet high, and the giant mess goes all the way down the street, causing an odor to spread throughout the neighborhood.

"People are getting a little concerned about this huge amount of garbage you have on your property," Norman told the homeowner, Juan Tarancon.

"OK, Ok, but not at this moment," Tarancon said.

When Norman tried to get answers from Tarancon, another man was having none of it and made his point with a hammer.

"You go, go, go," the man said as hit struck a fence with a hammer.

"Why are you doing that? Why are you being violent?" Norman asked.

"No, no, no pictures," the man said.

Tarancon said he was working with the city to address the issue.

"The city came here several times. Talk with him," Tarancon said.  

City officials were tight-lipped, saying that the issue in being litigated and that code compliance and city attorneys are addressing concerns about the property.

"The city I think is penalizing him," a neighbor said.

A neighbor agreed to talk about the mess on condition of anonymity, saying the place has been a problem for at least 10 years and the worst part is what you can't see.

"The smell -- it kills you sometimes, you can't even sit out here because of the smell," she said. "Obviously, I don't walk anywhere around there."

Local 10 News has requested the code compliance file for the property, which the city has not yet released.