DUNEDIN, Fla. — Homeowners have shared stories of fines and lawsuits -- some are more than six figures!
One man racked up $30,000 in fines for an uncut lawn, while a woman racked up $100,000 in fines for an unkempt pool and yard.
Now city leaders in Dunedin are taking a hard look at how code enforcement deals with properties that aren't exactly pristine. The consulting firm Calvin, Giordano and Associates assessed the city's process, made some recommendations and noted there were 300 active code cases on the books.
The group came up with the recommendations based on how some other cities in Florida deal with code violations.
Here were some key takeaways:
First, the group recommends the city establish an amnesty program and reduce liens by 25 percent or $1,000, whichever is less. Then, they recommend the city give the property owner 180 days to pay off the reduced amount, and this would be for people who are currently in compliance.
Second, the consultants say the city should stop doing partial lien settlements when a new owner takes over the property. They say chasing the former owner requires time, money and effort and may not be worth the trouble.
Third, they recommend an ordinance to cap fines. That would eliminate the ones that are outrageous and make sure there's a standard procedure for all cases.
We've asked a city representative about the next steps, and we'll let you know what we find out.
What the fine: 10Investigates looked into high local code enforcement fines across the Bay area.
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