The Brief
- Some residents in South Tampa are dealing with dark streets because vacant homes no longer pay for attached streetlights.
- TECO said homeowners can take over the billing for these “area lights” — but some refuse, saying it’s an unfair cost.
- Homeowners want the city to step in and pay for these streetlights, but we have not heard from officials.
TAMPA, Fla. – After last year’s brutal hurricanes, many Tampa Bay area neighborhoods remain half-vacant as people move back in or sell. Residents in Westshore have noticed their streets aren’t just quieter — they’re darker.
What we know:
That’s because some streetlights, once powered by homeowners, are now off when those homes sit empty.…