Thinking about making cuts to your landscaping budget this summer? You might want to think again, at least if you're a resident of Massapequa, a New York City suburb.
On Monday, the village board of Massapequa Park, on Long Island, voted to pass a law that will charge steep fines for messy yards, WCBS 880 reports. This "failure to mow" fee could cost homeowners up to $1,000. Repeat incidents could mean a $10,000 fine, according to WCBS.
The law was enacted to keep home prices up and residents healthy, town officials told WCBS.
Fines for unkempt properties and behavior aren't new. One Massachusetts town is considering the adoption of a law that would make swearing a civil offense, punishable by a $20 fine.
Homeowners associations also often pass regulations to keep neighborhoods looking clean. In Nevada, a state senator was fined for a stain on her driveway that was left by spilt hot chocolate, according to Fox News.
Massapequa is also looking to fine banks for failing to maintain foreclosed properties, according to CBS. The law, proposed by Massapequa's mayor, James Altadonna, would bill banks $500 for the time village employees spend cleaning up foreclosed properties.
The upkeep of foreclosed homes is a contested topic in towns across the U.S. Seventy percent of San Diego voters said they think banks should be charged $1,000 per day for letting foreclosed homes fall into disrepair.