quietann

“Thousands of unsold and empty houses in the Sacramento region are fast becoming breeding grounds for mosquitoes.”

“As the region’s housing slump creates more vacant houses and a growing excess of homes in transition between buyers and sellers, Culex mosquitoes that can spread the West Nile virus are thriving in uncared-for swimming pools, garden ponds and yards flooded by broken sprinklers, said David Brown, manager of the Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District.”

“Sacramento Association of Realtors spokesman Greg Vlasek said there are 9,672 houses for sale in the mosquito district’s Sacramento and Yolo counties coverage area alone. Nearly 1,400 have swimming pools.”

“The district is calling in a new cavalry in its war on mosquitoes: real estate agents.”

“‘As you show homes for sale or visit unoccupied properties, please assist us by reporting unmaintained swimming pools, ponds, fountains etc. to the district,’ states a letter being e-mailed to 6,500 agents today by the district and the Sacramento Association of Realtors.”

“‘There’s a lot of houses for sale where the pool isn’t being maintained,’ said Sacramento-Yolo technician Lisa Fitzgerald. More and more houses she sees now (are) home to a murky backyard pool that eventually prompted complaints from neighbors.”

“‘I was at a pool at just a beautiful house. The backyard was just beautiful. Then there was the pool. It was in foreclosure,’ she said.”