MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Memphis council members are going after absentee property owners to fight blight in the city.
Tuesday, council members approved the first reading of an ordinance that requires the owners of vacant or abandoned properties to pay a yearly $300 fee.
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Council member Jerri Green, who sponsored the ordinance, told WREG last month that there are at least 10,000 buildings within the city limits that have not had utilities for months. Green said that it is costing the city money to maintain neglected properties.
“This is a way for us to recoup fire fees, police who have to run off homeless people, our code department that has to go out, people who are cutting yards or picking up trash. All the city services that they receive on our dime as taxpayers,” said Green…