Today’s entry:
Hello Brian, I have a modest income, my home is paid for, my home’s structure and landscaping is impeccable. I feel that as a Citizen and a taxpayer in Miami Dade County that in some small way when the Jones’s or the Garcia’s put their homes on the market to sell, I in some way help sell their property. Now having said that, it’s not always true. What if Mr. Don’t Care or Mrs. I Don’t Give a (blank) let their home and or property look like Third World? I don’t want to legally get involved and fight wasting my time, effort and my modest income. They bought their homes to live in, they chose my neighborhood, they want to be visible, to reflect positively in appearance.
Now, what can Miami-Dade County do to get unsightly properties in my neighborhood fixed up, blue tarps off the roof, unsightly mildew, houses painted, gates fixed, yards and bushes cut and trimmed? Or is this a dead nonmoving forward situation that we must live with?
Bottom Line: Since introducing this topic over a month ago, I’ve received notes from across South Florida. Many have cited abuse by code enforcement in their communities and others, like this note, are wondering why more hasn’t been done. In this case, you might have recourse without having to pursue legal action or spend any money. Miami-Dade, like all local governments in South Florida, allows for residents to notify officials of potential violations. In the case of residential maintenance code violations the standard in your community include:
- The growth or accumulation of grass, weeds or undergrowth that exceeds a height of 12 inches from the ground or more than 10% of the area to be maintained.
- The accumulation of litter, junk, trash, solid waste, or abandoned property.
In the case of homes that may not be safe, that you describe with the prolonged tarps and mildew, you may notify the “Unsafe Structures Board”. There are also mandates that pertain to vacant properties etc. In other words, it’s a judgment call on your part, but you do have recourse by notifying local code enforcement officials. It’s a balance, it’s part of being a community. Some are better-contributing members of them than others for sure. I think the Golden Rule applies to this one.
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