Stray cat hideaway

This week’s ASS quest led us to 3914 18th St., on the corner of Selden near I-96. This home is by far the worst one the Abandoned Structure Squad has featured in a while. Forget about boarding the place up to keep squatters out, because most of the home’s backside is missing. Telltale signs of a fire explain the disappearance. A mountain of trash made up of a toppled swing set, empty speaker cabinets and rotting mattresses spills out into the backyard. The doors and windows are bare, revealing more interior fire damage that spreads up to the second floor. The house, built in 1900, stands between two vacant lots and across the street from a church. It was assessed at $2,200 in 2002, which seems pretty steep considering its condition. On the bright side, at least the house has a worthwhile purpose — it seems that neighborhood cats are using it for shelter.