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Storage Unit Used As Place To Live

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By STEPHEN THOMPSON, The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 12, 2008

LARGO - The city was doing a routine inspection of a storage facility today when people were found living in it, officials say.

Robert H. Houghton, 43, who was renting the storage space at 311 Missouri Ave. N., had built a second-story loft in the building, and had a refrigerator and microwave set up, said Sgt. Mark Young of the Largo Police Department. There also were a couple of iguanas.

There was no running water or toilet. For his toilet needs, Houghton was using a gallon jug, Young said.

Houghton also had covered the ceiling with carpet and in the process had covered up the sprinkler system, Young said. There also were candles strewn about. If a fire were started in the wooden structure, it likely would have gone up in flames "in a heartbeat," Young said.

When inspectors showed up today, Houghton wasn't there, but three young people were - an unidentified male, an 18-year-old girl, and a 17 year-old girl, Young said. The male fled.

The 17-year-old claimed she wasn't living in the space, but she left the facility with a suitcase, Young said. Her mother eventually picked her up.

Young characterized the accommodations as a "hangout pad."

"The guy had a nice apartment," Young said. "If only he had running water, he would have been all set."

When Houghton returned to the facility to find it had been closed, he wasn't happy, said Young.

Neither Houghton nor the teens face any criminal charges, Lt. Mike Loux said.

The owner of the facility - whose name was not available - will face numerous code violations, including building without a permit, said Tim Wedin, assistant fire marshal for Largo Fire Rescue.

The owner also will have to gut the unit, Wedin said.

Reporter Stephen Thompson can be reached at (727) 451-2336 or spthompson@tampatrib.com.

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