A boarding house in Myrtle Beach has been deemed a nuisance for the fourth time by the 15th Circuit Solicitor’s Office. MyrtleBeachSC News has reported on this known drug house, called the Yellow House, for practically a decade.
On Thursday, the solicitor’s office filed a petition seeking a temporary injunction against the home located at 407 5th Avenue North. The entire street of 5th Avenue between Kings Highway and Ocean Boulevard is known to all locals as a crime haven.
The owner, Joe Rideoutte Jr., has rented rooms in the house for several years.
According to court filings, the Yellow House is known for selling drugs.
A judge has issued temporary injunctions three times to close the Yellow House because it is a nuisance, according to court documents.
The petition states that the most recent order expired on April 7, 2022, since when the Yellow House has been used for assaults and drug dealing.
The court documents state that on August 25, 2023, Myrtle Beach police responded to the Yellow House for reports of shots fired and a tenant being stabbed. As officers entered the house, they noticed the poor living conditions and called code enforcement to conduct an inspection, according to the documents.
Upon completion of the inspection, City Code Enforcement deemed the house unfit for habitation and closed it.
Despite the house being closed, the petition claims that people have been living in makeshift shelters and camps in the backyard.
The petition for the temporary injunction states that Rideoutte has been served with a written notice of the public nuisance, but has not responded after more than 10 days.
To keep people off the property until the matter can be heard in court, the solicitor’s office is asking the judge to approve the temporary injunction.
Before making any decisions about the property, Myrtle Beach is waiting to see what the court will decide.
Petition for Temporary Inju… by Kristin