Simi Valley residents fed up with apparent hoarder house

SIMI VALLEY, Calif. (KABC) -- Residents say they are fed up and contacted ABC7 for help about an apparent hoarder house in Simi Valley.

Neighbors told Eyewitness News they want the eyesore cleaned up and say it's hazardous to the neighborhood.

AIR7 flew over the property at 4473 Apricot Rd. on Wednesday morning -- right next to the Apricot Apartments and south of the 118 Freeway. Video shows the property littered with trash and covered with tents.

The residents say they filed a complaint with the city about the property nine months ago in July 2024, but nothing has been done.

"The City of Simi Valley has an active Code Enforcement case in this area. While we're limited in what we can share during an ongoing investigation, we want to assure the community that protecting public health and safety is our top priority," the city said in a statement to Eyewitness News. "These types of cases can be complex, and gaining compliance often takes time. Our Code Enforcement and Building and Safety teams are actively working through the appropriate legal and procedural steps to bring the property into compliance. We appreciate the community's patience as this work continues."

Neighbors say they are frustrated and want the property cleaned up. They hope to get more information from the city about the timeline to address the situation.

While it's not completely visible from the street, the property owner of Apricot Apartments says they've had issues attracting tenants.

Raymond Fuess, co-owner of the apartment complex, says they've been dealing with this for years and recently spent thousands of dollars installing trees to block the unfavorable view for tenants.

The man who lives at the house said he rents the property and is aware the city wants him to clean it up. He says he's collecting the items to resell them on eBay or Facebook Marketplace. He also said he intends to have a yard sale this weekend.