‘Very scared’: Wild animals take over Indialantic street near condemned home
Neighbors say abandoned Indialantic home is attracting widlife
Neighbors in an Indialantic community say an abandoned, condemned home has become overgrown and is attracting coyotes, snakes and rats, creating what they describe as a growing public health and safety concern.
INDIALANTIC, Fla. - An abandoned and condemned home in Brevard County is causing a wild animal infestation, leaving local residents frustrated as conditions worsen.
Wild animals and pests are taking over an Indialantic neighborhood along Atlantic Avenue in Indialantic due to an abandoned, condemned home.
What we know:
Neighbors say coyotes are entering the area and killing local cats, while large snakes and rats are slithering and burrowing into surrounding yards.
The property at 148 Atlantic Ave. features severely overgrown grass that residents describe as looking like a forest. Local officials declared the house a health and safety hazard following an initial report by FOX 35 in November, forcing the property owner to leave, but problems have escalated since.
Online records for the county code enforcement case show recent email communications indicating that unpaid liens and violations on the home have now reached $70,000.
What we don't know:
The whereabouts of the property owner remain unknown after the home was abandoned. It is also unclear when or if county officials will step in to maintain the overgrown yard or clear the infestation.
What they're saying:
Neighbors state that problems at the property have persisted for nearly a decade. Following public reports in November, county officials held hearings in March and May, but residents say no physical progress or relief has occurred.
"I’ve seen snakes coming from that yard into my yard," said neighbor Donna Reyes, adding that delay after delay has left residents with no real changes.
"It’s an abandoned property. The owner abandoned it. It’s condemned. The county should just take it over and do the right thing," said neighbor Paul Brennan, who owns an adjacent lot.
Neighbor Cheryl Cataldo noted, "We still have the mess and it’s a health hazard. They condemned it because it was a health hazard and nothing has been done."
What's next:
Residents are asking the county to maintain the lawn or assist in paying for rat boxes to manage the rodent population. Nearby lot owners say they will have to pay higher costs for lawn maintenance due to the high volume of rats burrowing underground.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from Indialantic residents living near 148 Atlantic Avenue, as well as online Brevard County code enforcement case records. FOX 35 Reporter Esther Bower visited the neighborhood on Sept. 2, 2026. She also emailed a county spokesperson multiple times for an update but did not receive a response by airtime on Wednesday.