WHEELING, W.Va. -- “Nobody would want to live next door to this building. Nobody," said Norma Dorsch, as she looked at two abandoned homes on Wheeling Island.

Homes with overgrown weeds, busted gutters and shattered windows are right in the middle of a well-kept street.

The Wheeling Island Community Association is working to get those abandoned homes demolished. It's unclear whether the abandoned homes on the Island were a result of foreclosure, but it's an example of what can happen when a homeowner can't keep up.

The Community Homebuyer Investment Program (CHIP) in Wheeling is working to make sure no homeowner gets into a foreclosure situation. Housing experts said foreclosure hasn't hit our area as hard as some.

"We decided to act ahead of the curve and offer the services before it became really dramatic here," said Laura Stewart of CHIP.

Not only are the hedges, weeds and broken windows unsightly. Neighbors said they are the perfect hiding places for people looking to get away from the weather or get away from police.

"Sometimes we have people loitering out or streets that don't live here. They might be here doing illegal businesses," said Dorsch.

She said some of the empty houses also attract stray cats, rats and insects.

Stewart said homeowners sometimes ignore foreclosure notices because they don’t know how to handle the situation. But she said the sooner they seek help, the better their chances of keeping their homes.

"Address it quickly like any other emergency. You just need to step up, take action and we can be there to help,” Stewart said.