Rossville cited this rental property at 504 West Gordon Ave. under its Better Housing ordinance.Rossville is ticketing trashy-looking yards.
Four property owners faced $141 fines Monday night in City Court because they didn't comply with cleanup letters sent by the city's Better Housing Commission.
"Most of those who end up in court are repeat offenders," code enforcement Officer Mark Harris said.
The Better Housing Commission hadn't been meeting regularly until City Councilwoman Joyce Wall got it geared up again two months ago.
"I was wanting it to be [revived]," Mayor Teddy Harris said. "I said, 'Go for it. I'm behind you. Because we need it bad.'"
The committee meets the fourth Monday of the month at 7 p.m. in the Rossville Public Library. Its members identify which houses should be cited for violations such as trash in the yard and uncut grass, then send letters asking the property owners to fix the problem within 10 days.
"We give everybody a fair amount of time to do what they need to do," Wall said.
If property owners don't comply, Harris cites them. The city tickets owners because renters "don't care because it's not their property," he said.
Typically, citations are issued to landlords who own multiple properties, Harris said.
If property owners don't show up to court or pay their fine, they'll face an arrest warrant, he said.
Members of the public can suggest properties that need cleaning up to the Better Housing Committee, Harris said.
"The public is more than welcome to come. The more the merrier," he said.
Contact staff writer Tim Omarzu at tomarzu@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6651.