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July 18, 2016 On July 15"' at 1pm I met with members of Code Enforcement at 609 Rex St. A representative of the bank was also in attendance and had access to the key box and was able to enter the building. The purpose was that code was investigating the presence of asbestos in the HVAC system to compile a scope for demolition. As pictures will indicate, the house is full of trash and absolutely foul. The house had basically been walked away from. The kitchen had food in the cabinets and the refrigerator that animals had gotten into. The amount of flies and smell in the kitchen was overwhelming. The house has several areas on the second floor where water infiltration is evident. The damage on both the interior and exterior where gutters and eaves have failed. The Code Enforcement inspectors were opening walls to search for duct runs and I saw mold in some of the walls. (See picture) The Michigan basement was dry but signs of water marks were evident and some crumbling brick and mortar were present. I was not able to determine if the source of the water damage was interior or exterior. The gas meter had been removed, the electrical lines were cut, (the electrical box was not legal as it sits, no cover, not properly wired, see picture) and the water may still be connected to house but an earlier generation water meter was still present. No markings from SB Water works were present indicating cut water service. The garage is a safety hazard and was previously approved for demolition as well as the fence and jungle gym. I would safely say that there are 2+ dumpster loads of just garbage in the house to remove before an adequate assessment could even begin. There is simply too much garbage to even walk through the entire house. It may be a salvageable, but without serious investment just to remove and clean the house, it is difficult to determine what else would need to be done in the house to see if repairs would more expensive than the value of the house completely repaired. I asked the bank's representative what would they sell it for and he said not less than $25K. Somehow having to pay for a demolition is less of a loss than what the loss would be on the books for selling it for any less than the mortgage amount due. Steve Szaday Preservation Specialist Historic Preservation Commission of South Bend and St Joseph County