SHARON, Pa. (WKBN) – A condemned house is causing problems for neighbors on Sharon’s north side. They say cockroaches are now taking over the nearby streets. Neighbors there are looking for help.

A duplex on Watson Street was condemned on August 29. According to the Sharon City Manager’s Office, the violation is for “heavy infestation of insects- evidence of cockroaches.”

“They were pretty messy. The outside of their house was messy and, you know, we have known that for years,” a neighbor said.

The property is owned by Hometown Community Rentals out of Mercer, which owns around a dozen properties on and around Watson Street.

Neighbors we talked to didn’t want to go on camera for fear of being evicted by the company. They say Hometown Community Rentals has let this problem go for too long in what used to be a nice neighborhood.

“He ruined our neighborhood. It’s terrible. I can’t walk my dog because there’s roaches now everywhere,” a neighbor said.

The roaches from the house on Watson Street have not only caused an issue on the street, but now on surrounding streets in the neighborhood.

Hometown Community Rentals says an exterminator put down a perimeter treatment around the condemned house but can’t put treatment inside the house until it’s empty. The rental company says a staffing shortage has slowed down the clean-out process.

Hometown Community Rentals says they offered to treat neighbors’ yards but the neighbors declined the help.

Neighbors feel the company needs to take better care of the neighborhood.

“He needs to be held accountable. He needs, if he wants these houses, he needs to maintain them and, you know, not slap a coat of paint on there,” a neighbor said.

“They’re definitely not taking, you know, preventable measures for the other people around the neighborhood. They’re just spreading and spreading and spreading,” a neighbor said.

The Sharon City Manager’s Office says neighbors should direct their concerns to Hometown Community Rentals because corrective action is the company’s responsibility.

Hometown Community Rentals says it’s not responsible for the behavior of its tenants.