Wednesday, July 4, 2018

How To Decrease Crime With Vacant Lot Clean Up

By Jessica Stewart


Though there is a great increase in crime these days, there is a way to help with it. This is by vacant lot clean up activities. Studies have shown that overgrown lots are a signal to criminals that there is a lack of pride in the neighborhood. These also give a convenient place to hide drugs, guns, and other criminal activities. Where the grass and weeds are tall a criminal can easily hide in it, and even remain hidden.

Many cities use local citizens in the area to do the mowing and pay them a much lower fee than they would have to do for a professional lawn care company. Not only do these people get to earn a little money, they also develop a sense of pride about their community. In some communities, there are even volunteers that form committees and take turns mowing, keeping the city from having to pay for it, but still keeping the area neat.

Many cities have ordinances charging owners a fine if they don't keep their property presentable. These ordinances also sometimes provide for the city to obtain these properties from persons who receive repeated citations for neglect. In some areas the city does the work themselves and charge the owner for the cost.

This approach to crime prevention is a well-accepted one. Unlike gun control, in which there are two sides, one which fights the control, this method has no objections from citizens. Everyone, except the criminal, benefits from the efforts. Neighborhoods even accept and take some responsibility for doing the work in their area.

Upfront costs to cities is a deterrent but the overall impact is cost effective. With less crime as a result, increase in property value, and fines assessed to those who received the maintenance, this cost is somewhat offset. Some have estimated that twenty-six dollars are recognized for every dollar spent.

Trash and debris are conveniently dumped in abandoned lots. This causes major decline of surrounding neighborhoods and discourages home owners from keeping their areas clean and mowed. This causes a major decline in an area, and leads to the loss of pride in a community. Children playing in these areas also face danger from the trash. In addition, disease is a danger from all the trash.

A few cities have even considered ordinances, called mow to own, that allow a neighbor to maintain the lot next door to them to be able to get the lot either at a nominal fee, or for free. This encourages not only cleaning up the vacant one, but it encourages them to keep their own yards in perfect condition. For cities that have large areas of neglect, this helps rebuild them.

In certain cities groups of volunteers attempt to restore a neglected downtown area by clean up the lots that have been abandoned. They beautify them in hopes of encouraging new businesses to move in and build up the area. These volunteers go to different lots each week, cleaning and beautifying them. They come back another time to each lot, and if the place has not been kept up, they notify the owner that they won't come again to help unless they work on the maintenance themselves.




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