MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Last week, we held our monthly Let’s Talk town hall in South Memphis. One of the biggest concerns was blight. Residents said there were dozens of vacant properties with overgrown grass and trash.
12 inches is the limit for how tall grass can be on properties in Memphis. But in South Memphis, some vacant lots are seeing grass feet high.
“They won’t take care of them,” said Justice Cullens, a South Memphis resident.
Cullens lives on Richmond Avenue where our crew counted at least three vacant lots near her block.
“It’s a lot with snakes, spiders, big rodents. That’s a lot because once they don’t take care of them, it comes over to the other neighbors and causes a big problem,” said Cullens.
What is the process of holding these landlords accountable? City of Memphis Public Works Director, Robert Knecht, said first they receive a complaint about a property. Then they send out code enforcement.
“We send an inspector out to verify that it is over 12 inches in height. If it is a vacant property or vacant home, then then the ground services continues to handle that service request,” said Knecht.
The city gives property owners seven days to fix it.
“They come back and eight, they, if you haven't cut it, then we'll violate it,” said Knecht.
If the property still goes uncut, the city brings in contractors. That comes out of taxpayers’ pockets. Knecht said about 9,500 properties are cut each year by the city.
“About 2.5 million annually is allocated for grass mitigation,” said Knecht. “Ideally, that's unfair, you know, so we are we have been trying to find ways to put more pressure through fines and fees on the owners to make it more costly for them…It's just difficult in the state of Tennessee, because they're so pro-owner, property owner.”
In our Let’s Talk town hall, residents told us a property on Stephen Place had not been cut since last November. While we were there, one of the city’s contractors came to cut the grass.
“They send out a list of houses, vacant lots or houses where grass is over 12 inches long,” said Dondre Bundick, Bundick Lawn Care Services. “They have us put down an address or task number and the day that you service it…There’s so many in South Memphis that there’s probably 10 or 15 other crews, maybe even more, that are out here doing the exact same thing we’re doing.”
Bundick said work can take anywhere from two to eight hours. “People just start dumping on them. We’re talking about tires, beds and trash. We have to go in a clean up the property first,” said Bundick.
Then, they cut it. “I think South Memphis is probably the worst that you can see,” said Bundick. “If you go in Germantown or Collierville or even East Memphis, you don’t see vacant properties like this.”
That is why some residents said they feel ignored. “The harder neighborhoods is forgotten because of the Black community,” said Cullens. “If nobody calls for them to come out here, it’s going to stay how it is now…It’s selfish and trifling if you ask me.”
Some properties are owned by the Shelby County Landbank. The City of Memphis said they are held to the same standards as other property owners.
If you need to report a vacant lot that is not maintained, the city said to first contact 311. They acknowledged there are some frustrations with the service but encouraged residents to be specific on the location of the property. Otherwise, they said it is harder for them to address the issue.