Marion County moves to foreclose on Summerfield property buried in junk

Marion County is moving to foreclose on a Summerfield property where junk has been piling up for six years, county officials said at a recent commission meeting.The county attorney said the decision to pursue foreclosure came after repeated cleanup efforts failed to produce lasting results.“Rather than us continuing periodically to go out and abate the nuisances but then have it show up again — that’s why we’re proceeding with the foreclosure action,” the county attorney said.A problem six years in the makingThe violations date back to 2020, according to county officials. During public comment at the commission meeting, county code enforcement staff said the property owner claims his tenant has refused to remove mobile homes and other items from the property, and that the owner cannot afford to pursue his own legal action.County staff described the property’s condition as “in a public nuisance condition, which is manifestly injurious to the morals and manners of the people of the commu