Springfield plays hard ball against irresponsible property owners
The city of Springfield is making progress in tackling delapidated homes and unkempt lots.
Mayor Mike Houston announced the number of home citations written during the first four months of 2012 rose to 45-hundred, compared to 18-hundred during the same period last year. Public Works Director Mark Mahoney says every citizen has a right to live in a clean and safe neighborhood.
Mahoney credits aggressive housing inspectors and a new ordinance that gives the city legal recourse against irresponsible property owners.
The city has also been able to pursue more cases with two additional lawyers on staff, who earn a combined $110-thousand dollars a year.
