Council approves ordinance to establish mow-to-own program
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) – The Memphis City Council has approved an ordinance that establishes a mow-to-own program to aid in fighting blight.
The Commercial Appeal reports (http://bit.ly/211QP1u) the ordinance, which was approved on Tuesday, is an avenue for property owners to mow an adjoining city- or county-owned vacant lot to earn credits toward buying it.
Councilman Berlin Boyd, who sponsored the ordinance, says he’ll convene with the committee that developed the program to iron out the details. He hopes to have it up and running by January.
Participants will pay a $175 administrative fee and receive a $25 credit for each cut over a three-year period, with a maximum credit of $1,350.
The program is expected to work jointly with Blight Authority of Memphis Inc., which is the city’s newly established nonprofit land bank.
