They were told to leave. The signs said “Keep Out.” But by the next day, the boards were ripped off, people were back inside, and dogs were trapped in filthy, unsafe conditions.
It’s becoming a disturbing pattern in Portsmouth: people — and their pets — returning to dangerously unlivable homes, ignoring warnings, city orders, and common sense.
At 9:30 a.m., Portsmouth City Services, Code Enforcement, and police arrived at a condemned house in the 2200 block of Mabert Road to remove three individuals and several dogs from the unsafe structure. Fresh “No Trespassing” signs went up, and officials promised to speak with the property owner about the ongoing squatting problem.
But that was just the start.
🐾 By 2:30 p.m., someone had dropped the dogs back off at the property, forcing another visit from Code Enforcement, Animal Control, and an assisting officer. The warning to the owner was crystal clear:
No people. No pets. No excuses.
🕔 At 5:30 p.m., officers were called yet again — this time because someone had ripped the boards off the home and was trying to get back inside. Police detained a person at the scene, but the interior door was locked, preventing entry.
And then came round four.
📅 The next evening at 8:40 p.m., officers returned for a report that people had once again gone back in. This time, they took a woman — identified as Stephenie Fletcher — into custody on a criminal trespass charge.
What they found inside was disturbing:
- Dogs in cages with no one to care for them
- Animal feces covering the floor
- Fire hazards throughout the property
- Wretched living conditions unfit for humans or animals
Animal Control was called again, but with no one available to collect the dogs that night, officers had no choice but to secure the animals back inside the condemned home until pickup could happen the next day.
⚠️ A City-Wide Problem: Condemned Homes Are Becoming Dangerous Hubs
This isn’t just about one house on Mabert — Portsmouth is facing a growing crisis with condemned and abandoned properties, often becoming:
- Squatter dens
- Drug activity hotspots
- Fire hazards
- Animal welfare concerns
- Violent altercation zones
💡 What You Can Do:
🏠 Report unsafe or occupied condemned homes to City Code Enforcement.
🐶 Alert Animal Control if pets are being abandoned at condemned properties.
📸 Document violations safely — your photos could help with enforcement.
🚓 Call police if you see people tearing down boards or breaking in.
💬 Support stronger city ordinances to hold property owners accountable.
Because until these properties are fixed, cleared, or demolished, they’ll keep attracting trespassers, unsafe living conditions, and innocent animals left with nowhere to go.