A Growing Problem: Overgrown Lawns At Foreclosed Homes

The number of foreclosures has skyrocketed around Maryland, jumping a whopping 40 percent between April and May. While there isn't always a foreclosure sign in front of the home, there's a very good chance the grass hasn't been mowed.

The foreclosure crisis is affecting more than just people; it's affecting lawns.

Frederick city officials tell NBC25 they simply can’t keep up. They’re getting an explosion of calls from residents complaining about out-of-control lawns in their neighborhoods.

"The foreclosing market has tripled our complaint basis," said Michael Blank, who works in code enforcement for the city.

Grass and weeds above 10 inches tall are violating the City of Frederick's rules. That's when officials step in to do something about it.

"Anything over 10 inches get a notice for them to remove and cut the grass within five days," Blank said.

But since the foreclosed homes are vacant, no one's there to clean up. That's when the city hires people to mow and manicure the lawn for a pretty penny.

Blank says the average bill runs around $200 per cut.

It could be even higher, depending on how much there is to clean up.

The city doesn't just absorb the costs. They forward the bills to the last known owner, or to the mortgage company.

It's not just a city issue; Frederick County officials are getting a lot of complaints, too.

There's not much the county can do about it though because they don't have a lawn ordinance.

"There's really no advice that we can give to them that will in fact, provide a remedy for them," said Larry Smith, a Frederick County zoning administrator.

Frederick city officials are considering assigning someone full-time to do grass, weed and trash inspections on foreclosed homes. (www.your4state.com)