Furry neighbors: Penn Hills residents say raccoons moved next door into vacant home

PENN HILLS, Pa. — Raccoons are making themselves at home in a Penn Hills neighborhood.

While the critters may look cute, they’re spreading fear after settling inside a vacant home.

A woman who lives next door told Channel 11 that the family of at least five well-fed raccoons have become a real nuisance.

“When I pull in my driveway at night, I’m always like OK, what am I going to be faced with? Are the raccoons going to be sitting on the porch, are they going to jump out at me?” she said.

Nearby trash cans have been rooted through and some dragged to the porch of the house occupied by the furry freeloaders.

Neighbors are worried someone could get bitten. They said they’e called the Penn Hills code enforcement office to complain, but the raccoons remain and the property continues to deteriorate. Channel 11 talked to Scott Andrejchak, municipal manager, who said there was not an open complaint filed by anyone.

“Once I saw the raccoons, I just thought what else could be living over there? What else is going to come popping out of that house?” the woman who lives next door said.

Apart from the raccoons, neighbors are also concerned the vacant house could become a target for squatters or other wildlife.

Andrejchak also told Channel 11 that he will now open a file, cite the property owner and do everything in the municipality’s power to fix the situation.

Inside look at warehouse where mail-in, absentee ballots will be processed in Allegheny Co. Inside look at warehouse where mail-in, absentee ballots will be processed in Allegheny Co.

Cox Media Group