For nearly two decades, Kaimuki residents say they’ve been complaining about rats, cockroaches and smells of urine and feces coming from a Second Avenue house, where the homeless have taken refuge after it was abandoned by its owner.

But that changed Tuesday morning when a seven-man crew from Pacific Junk Removal began the tedious chore of clearing the front yard of the single-story wooden structure at 1115 Second Ave. of rubbish, furniture and trash that blocked anyone from entering the property.

Art Challacombe, deputy director of the city Department of Planning and Permitting, said this week’s cleanup was helped by a law adopted by the City Council last year that gave officials the authority, under a court order, to hire a vendor and clean up property considered to be a health and fire hazard and in violation of building codes. Officials said the code violations have been issued since 2008.

A Circuit Court order July 9 granted the city a preliminary injunction and a warrant to enter the property and remove trash, furniture and other debris that had accumulated.

“We regret that we’ve had to take such drastic actions as filing for a court order to clean up the property,” said George Atta, Planning and Permitting director. “But it became apparent that the owner no longer resides in the home, and the unsanitary conditions there have become so severe that they pose a health and safety hazard to the neighbors.”

Challacombe said repeated attempts to contact the owner, Laura Matsuzaki, have been unsuccessful.

“We conducted an exhaustive search looking for her,” said Challacombe, contacting her family members and private organizations.

So far, Matsuzaki has eluded city officials.

About five years ago, Matsuzaki was seen sleeping at night on the lawn in front of her house, a neighbor said.

Matsuzaki has accumulated $198,000 in city fines, and the amount will keep increasing until she responds to the city’s order, Challacombe said. Pacific Junk Removal,

one of five companies to bid for the work, submitted the lowest bid of $9,492 and is expected to complete the cleanup by the end of the week, said manager Ray Peralta.

Workers started clearing the front yard of junk just after 8 a.m. All of the rubbish will be burned at the city’s HPOWER plant at Kahe Point, while metal and electronic items will be sold and recycled.

Peralta said once that is completed, his workers will enter the 2,400-square-foot home and remove items that are fire or health hazards.

Challacombe said the cleanup will be monitored by a building inspector and a police officer, especially when the workers enter the home.

Interior work means just clearing the hallways, windows and doors so people can enter and leave the building without any problems, Challacombe said.

Once the work is completed, the company will board up broken windows and secure doors to prevent illegal entry into the structure.

The city will continue to try to contact Matsuzaki or anyone who represents her to help the woman manage the property, pay the mounting fines and reimburse the city for the cleanup.

If that fails, Challacombe said the city could move to foreclose and seize the property.

Challacombe said Matsuzaki has kept up payments on her property tax bill, but there is no longer water or electrical service.

Chelsia Hobby, who lives across the street, said she is “glad that the city is finally doing this.”

“It’s always been disgusting.”

Another neighbor, Joe Barredo, said, “It was the smell that bothered me.”