Fiscal court authorizes foreclosure action on Crestwood property after code enforcement lien

The Oldham County Fiscal Court voted to authorize foreclosure proceedings to enforce a code-enforcement lien on property at 3811 Ueno Drive in the Lakewood subdivision of Crestwood.

Code enforcement officer Adam Baer briefed the court that he had received multiple complaints in July 2024, issued four citations in August 2024 totaling $1,200 in fines, and posted citations on the door. A final order was issued in September 2024 after the property owner failed to respond; a lien was placed on Nov. 11, 2024. Baer said the record owner on file is Anita Turello and that Turello died Sept. 11, 2023; relatives have informed staff they do not intend to pursue the property.

Baer presented photos showing the home’s overgrown rear yard and the lack of electric service. The county attorney explained the foreclosure process: the county would file an in rem foreclosure action to collect the lien amount; if a judgment is entered the master commissioner would schedule a sale and proceeds would first satisfy prior-priority liens (such as a tax lien) and other encumbrances. The transcript records the mortgage company declined to foreclose and that a 2023 tax lien exists; the office handling that tax lien told staff it was unlikely to foreclose for about two years.

Magistrates and neighbors told the court they consider the property an eyesore and expressed support for proceeding. A magistrate moved and the court voted by vocal affirmation to proceed with foreclosure. The county attorney noted there will be legal and service costs and that the county will seek to recover those costs through the foreclosure process.