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Port St. John neighbors plead for help with alleged hoarder house
A long-running dispute over a cluttered home in Port St. John may soon head to court as Brevard County moves toward foreclosure on the property following years of complaints from neighbors.
PORT ST. JOHN, Fla. - A long-running dispute over a cluttered home in Port St. John may soon head to court as Brevard County moves toward foreclosure on the property following years of complaints from neighbors.
Residents on Corsica Boulevard say the home has been filled with debris for nearly a decade, with large piles of garbage covering the front yard.
Neighborhood nuisance
The backstory:
No one truly knows what is hiding beneath the massive piles of garbage consuming the front yard of the home on Corsica Boulevard. Neighbors worry biohazards could be seeping into a backyard canal.
The issue isn't new; the problem has plagued the community for nearly ten years. Residents say the property has become a magnet for pests and keeps children away who avoid the property at all costs.
Impact on neighbors
What they're saying:
For those living in the neighborhood, the situation moved past a simple eyesore and is now a matter of safety and quality of life.
"There is smells," said neighbor Jay Cullen, who has lived with the stench for years. Cullen has taken the issue to local leadership, asking, "What would you think if this was next to your house?"
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Other residents expressed concern for the neighborhood children.
"Children's safety... children don’t feel comfortable walking by the house and I have a huge problem with that," said Dustin Davis.
Neighbor Al Studt said the community was inspired to reach out to FOX 35 after seeing the recent success in Indialantic.
"Since you did the story about the other place, we saw that and said our situation here on this street could use the same similar attention," Studt said. "We want to see it gone."
Homeowner’s response
The other side:
The homeowner, James Mitchell, was at the property when FOX 35 came by. He admitted the property is in disrepair but claims he’s trapped in a situation he cannot afford to fix. Mitchell is currently facing foreclosure and points to recent weather events as the catalyst for the current state of the home.
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"There's been a history of things, storms and so forth, but Hurricane Milton damaged the home," Mitchell told FOX 35. He claims the hurricane tore off his roof, and a lack of financial resources has prevented him from clearing the yard.
"It's just a big mess, and I've been working on cleaning up," Mitchell added.
County’s involvement
FOX 35 reached out to Brevard County officials to ask why the property has remained in this condition for so long. In a statement, a county spokesperson confirmed legal action is finally moving forward:
"The County is seeking authorization to foreclose on the property. Under our Code, this is a step that is a prerequisite to filing for foreclosure through the Court system. The foreclosure is in relation to existing Code Enforcement liens on the home."
What's next:
The battle over the Corsica Boulevard home is heading to the courtroom. A hearing is currently scheduled for March 19.
Both the homeowner and the frustrated neighbors say they plan to attend the hearing to see if the county will finally move forward with intervention.
The Source: FOX 35 Reporter Esther Bower heard from neighbors via email after a recent investigation she did about another house in the county. She met with the new residents on March 10, 2026. She also spoke with the homeowner on the same day. She emailed the county on March 9 and received information the same day.