Nesquehoning officials are going after the homeowners of a property that burned five years ago that is now creating a hazard for neighbors.

Citations against the homeowners are being filed with the courts this week.

Abbie and Joe Guardiani approached borough council on Wednesday for an update to a request they made in September regarding the burned out home on High Street. The home in question sits behind the Guardiani’s property.

Abbie Guardiani reported that since the last meeting, the roof has partially collapsed on the houses and the chimney is now free-standing. In addition, the house has not been secured and there is evidence of people possibly entering the unsafe building.

“I know this costs a lot of money to take a building down and small municipalities don’t have it, “Abbie Guardiani said. “... Now that I look at it with a collapsed roof and free-standing chimney and holes now punched in windows ... I look at the borough solicitor and say I don’t know if you cannot afford to not take this building down. If someone is injured in this building, I cannot imagine this wouldn’t be a liability for this borough.”

Council agreed and borough secretary RoniSue Ahner said that the borough has sent letters to the property owners about taking the buildings down, but none complied in the time frame given. That is why the borough is moving forward on the citations.

The borough is asking the judge to allow the town to raze the structure and then put the cost on the citation as restitution for the razing.

In addition, Ahner said there are some other items that must be met by the borough before they can proceed.

“It’s a process we have to take,” she said.

The Guardianis thanked the borough for beginning the process and then also provided documents from Jim Thorpe, Lehighton and the state on how to work on a blight remediation plan, as well what was done between Lehighton, Jim Thorpe and Palmerton to apply for the blight grant the three towns received.

Councilman Louis Paul, who has been working to try and better enforce code enforcement, said that the new code enforcement officer who was hired last month is doing a good job.

The officer inspected 70 properties, issued 45 letters, four warnings and made five phone calls.

He noted that of those issues, 30 property owners have already taken measures to address the problems.

“We are moving forward,” Paul said.