Florida Woman Fined $190,000 for Overgrown Yard

AP ^ | Feb 27 2004

[george wythe]

NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. Antoinette Stavropoulos says she is in no shape to maintain the overgrown lawn for which she has been fined nearly three times the value of her home.

Stavropoulos acknowledges that the grass in her back yard reaches 3 feet high and a foot high in the front. But she can't fathom paying the $190,000 she has accumulated in fines since she was first warned about the grass two and half years ago.

"I'm by myself, I have hernias, I have arthritis in my legs," Stavropoulos, 53, said Thursday. "They said, 'You have to get it done.'"

Communities in the Tampa Bay area have been cracking down on eyesores in an attempt to attract new commercial and residential interests, but Stavropoulos calls her mounting $200-a-day fines "just goofy."

[Modernman]

Lady, if you can't maintain your lawn and are creating an eyesore for the neighborhood, it's time to move into a condo. Sheesh.

[george wythe]

Antoinette Stavropoulos's New Port Richey house is valued at $65,395. But because she had resisted calls to clean up her overgrown lawn, she's racking up $200 a day in fines. "It's just goofy," she said. Code enforcers don't agree.

[Guillermo]

since she was first warned about the grass two and half years ago

I wonder if her neighbors appreciated the fact that she was devaluing the entire neighborhood?

[EggsAckley]

insane ccrs strike again. Why doesn't some good samaritan just go in there and mow the grass? These people are after something other than mown grass.

[Guillermo]

Sheesh, she still haves her Christmas decorations up.

[socal_parrot]

Florida Woman Fined $190,000 for Overgrown Yard

I'm not sure about labor costs in Florida, but I would think hiring a gardener would have been cheaper.

[T.Smith]

Oh, for cryin' out loud! If the neighbors are so offended I think they could have taken turns cutting the grass every couple of weeks. Or, at least once or twice in the past 2.5 years! If she really has these health problems (or even if she's just a lady living alone) the neighbors could have made an attempt to be "neighborly".

When I was a kid my dad would have ordered me to go over there and cut that lady's grass.

[RightWhale]

The day will come when everyone will be required to let their lawns go wild so the biomass can eat the CO2 in the air and so no one will be allowed to power up a weed whacker or lawnmower because of oil shortages. This lady is merely 3 years ahead of her time.

[Arpege92]

"I'm by myself, I have hernia's, I have arthritis in my legs."

Judging from that picture, this lady was well enough to hang Christmas decorations on her house. Even so, if she can't maintain her property on her own, then hire someone to do it. There, case settled!!!

[george wythe]

Some area governments go so far as to jail property owners for neglecting their housekeeping duties.

In November, 62-year-old Silvio Rosalen was jailed 15 days for failing to clean up lumber piles in his yard in unincorporated New Port Richey.

That punishment was a direct result of Pasco's decision in December 2000 to revamp its code system.

It now sends violators to a county judge instead of to an enforcement board. Before, violators in unincorporated areas of Pasco faced fines and liens. Now, like Rosalen, they could go to jail.

"We feel the court process is far superior," said Joe Gross, Pasco's assistant zoning and code compliance administrator. "It's more immediate . . . versus a lien, which may not be resolved until the property changes hands."

Different governments are employing different approaches, especially when it comes to repeat offenders.

In St. Petersburg, a fine that reaches $5,000 on a home or $10,000 on commercial property is referred to a county judge, who can order compliance. The city also is starting to file public nuisance suits against properties that pose fire hazards or other dangers.

"If we were just letting the fines mount up, I'd be out of a job," said Sally Eichler, director of codes compliance assistance for the city.

In Tampa, under Mayor Pam Iorio, code enforcement has new teeth.

Criminal court and possible foreclosure are among the penalties if a code board or a hearing master can't get results. Also budgeted for 2004 was more money for demolition and cleanup. And a foreclosure unit is being formed.

The changes make Bill Doherty happy. He is deputy director for Tampa's code enforcement, and his 39-person department expects to handle more than 30,000 violations this year. Compliance rates are 70 percent and expected to climb.

Since the beginning of the year, criminal "code court" has seen about 40 cases and faces a backlog of more than 500.

Tampa has new recourse, Doherty said, and "the word is out in the community."

Hillsborough County, however, prefers to avoid court when possible.

"I know some people are going to a court system," said John Ferdon with the county's housing and community code enforcement department. However, a Hillsborough audit of cases found all but 2 percent complied with a code board, and court is "cost prohibitive."

The exception: landlord Steven Green, whose code violations on several properties including the uninhabitable Amberwood Apartments led to $5,000-a-day fines that hit $1.3-million. The bank later foreclosed and the complex was sold. The county still is negotiating for payment.

So far, Green has paid $3,600 for a tree violation.

* * *

New Port Richey is amid a major redevelopment initiative. Local leaders want to make it a destination for developers and companies, and they're hoping the revamped code will help.

"This is an effective redevelopment tool that signals to property owners they need to keep their property clean, at least on the outside," City Manager Gerald Seeber said.

If six-figure fines are what it takes, so be it.

"The money is the tool, the big stick," said Fred Metcalf, director of development services for the city.

By December 2003 the city had more than $1.4-million in code enforcement fines on the books, though it collected only about $100,000 last year, Metcalf said.

Some extreme cases persist.

"I don't think anybody warrants a fine of $150,000," said Tom Altman, a member of New Port Richey's code enforcement board and a local lawyer.

As things stand, a lien is the city's final option in cases such as Stavropoulos, whose home of 12 years is assessed for tax purposes at $65,395. The city cannot foreclose on homestead property, like hers. And if she sold, the new owner would assume the lien.

However, if she abandoned her home, it could go into foreclosure, be cleaned up, resold and "we end up with a homeowner who takes care of the property," said Gary Brevoort, the city's certified building official. "Ultimately that's what we're looking for."

Two years ago, the number of code violations in the city requiring board action was 13 percent. Last year that dropped to 7 percent. New Port Richey officials say that's evidence that the code enforcement system is working.

Stavropoulos might disagree.

"I think they're hoping I'll leave, but I can't sell my house because of the lien; I can't even get a loan," said Stavropoulos, the mother of six grown children.

Records show her home on Pennsylvania Avenue has a history of violations including weeds, trash, an abandoned vehicle and broken windows. Stavropoulos said she did what she could considering health and financial limitations.

"I'm not supposed to lift more than 10 pounds or move around a lot," she said.

After initial rounds of violations and fines, she said she made an effort with her grass.

"Until I got a mower I was out there with my son mowing it with a weed whacker."

About a year ago, members of her church came out and mowed the lawn for her. And of late, her yard has been cut "right down to the earth," she said.

But the fines continue to mount because she never paid them. As of today, she owes the city $192,565.

[farmfriend]

Rights, farms, environment ping.
Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from this list.
I don't get offended if you want to be removed.

[GovernmentShrinker]

Her property looks fine to me. If her neighbors hate it so much, perhaps they should ask her permission to go on her property and change it to suit their tastes.

[Arpege92]

How do you suppose those Christmas lights got onto her house? Her excuse just isn't working....she is either too lazy to maintain her lawn, or she is cheap because she won't hire anyone to maintain her lawn. She brought this upon herself.

[george wythe]

The day will come when everyone will be required to let their lawns go wild so the biomass can eat the CO2 in the air and so no one will be allowed to power up a weed whacker or lawnmower because of oil shortages. This lady is merely 3 years ahead of her time.

LOL!

It reminds me of the fad diets... a high-carb diet is good for you, now a low-carb diet is good for you.

[devane617]

I have interests in New Port Richey that have a large yard. The Lawn mower person charges $50.00 per month for everything.
When I checked for my friend, I found people to cut grass anytime for between $10. - $20.
It is cheap enough that she could afford a trim.

[Dallas59]

But is she a nice lady?

[T.Smith]

I wrote my response before the picture was posted. Seeing the Christmas lights changes my attitude somewhat, since Christmas lights past mid-January are a big pet peeve of mine. Plus, you're right, if she is so infirm how did the lights get on her house?

I reckon she's just a bad neighbor and a complainer. Likely that the neighbors just want her gone and this is their way of doing it.

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!!

[ErnBatavia]

Looks like the city outsourced the cleanup...

[Modernman]

Her property looks fine to me. If her neighbors hate it so much, perhaps they should ask her permission to go on her property and change it to suit their tastes.

It doesn't look too bad in that picture.

Still, laws like this make sense. One person in a neighborhood can bring down everyone's property values.

[RightWhale]

Sounds like yet another American utopic fascistic commune.

[Arpege92]

"Christmas lights past mid-January are a big pet peeve of mine."

Mine as well!

[GovernmentShrinker]

From Post # 11"If we were just letting the fines mount up, I'd be out of a job," said Sally Eichler, director of codes compliance assistance for the city.

Can't have government bureaucrats out of jobs, now can we?

[george wythe]

When I was a kid my dad would have ordered me to go over there and cut that lady's grass.

When I was a kid, I did that also for a widow lady. My dad used to quote a scripture, James 1:27:

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress.

That's passe nowadays. Being neighborly toward the unfortunate is so outdated.

We don't even talk to our neighbors; we just call the cops on them.

[sean327]

Exactly! Last year my next door neighbor's husband was deployed to Iraq, my sons and I cut her grass while he was gone. She has 3 small children, 4, 2, and 1. It was the right thing to do. Someone should have come to the aid of this woman in Florida. I'll bet 50 bucks it was a neighbor who complained. Quit whining and help someone who needs it!!

[No Blue States]

"Her property looks fine to me. If her neighbors hate it so much, perhaps they should ask her permission to go on her property and change it to suit their tastes."

I agree with you. Maybe she should rock it in with that white marble stuff, or even buy some AstroTurf and see how her neighbors like that. When they pay her mortgage maybe they should have a say how her property looks, especially her own back yard.

And the absurd amount of the fine is ridiculous.

I cant wait to move to the country where lawns arent worshipped.

[Protagoras]

Still, laws like this make sense. One person in a neighborhood can bring down everyone's property values.

Ah, that well known right to property values.

[the invisib1e hand]

wow. talk about 'love thy neighbor!'

couldn't someone somewhere take 30 minutes every two weeks and cut the poor lady's lawn?

gawd!

[mupcat]

***"Sheesh, she still haves her Christmas decorations up"***

Should have asked Santa for goat!

[Gunslingr3]

"If we were just letting the fines mount up, I'd be out of a job," said Sally Eichler, director of codes compliance assistance for the city.

Perspective, everyone, perspective...

[HEY4QDEMS]

I have a kid up the street mow my grass every week for $20.

[GovernmentShrinker]

I recall a thread here a year or so ago, about a homeowner who got fed up with the conformity nannies and decided to make them sorry they'd harassed him. He figured out ways to make his home a REAL eyesore, while carefully remaining within the letter of the all the nanny-laws. The paint job featured huge purple polks-dots, as I recall.

[Gunslingr3]

Still, laws like this make sense. One person in a neighborhood can bring down everyone's property values.

Is the purpose of the law to protect your property, or to let me remake it as I see fit?

[Catspaw]

Sheesh, she still haves her Christmas decorations up.

So do most of my neighbors. Of course, they're stuck in 2-4 foot snowbanks, which isn't a problem in Floriduh.

[EggsAckley]

I remember the polka-dot house too. Wonder what ever happened.

[Catspaw]

The CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS are stuck in snowbanks, not my neighbors....well, I've been tempted to stick the neighborhood crank in a snowbank, but that's another topic entirely.

[Protagoras]

The paint job featured huge purple polks-dots, as I recall.

I remember that.

That's the thing about playing ---k, ---k, sometimes you're the one who get's ---ked.

[Guillermo]

Hope they have warm boots!

[Modernman]

Ah, that well known right to property values

Failure on your neighbor's part to maintain their lawn damages the value of your property. So, in that regard, her actions damage your property.

[jimt]

How do you suppose those Christmas lights got onto her house? Her excuse just isn't working....she is either too lazy to maintain her lawn, or she is cheap because she won't hire anyone to maintain her lawn. She brought this upon herself.

Your arguments remind me of the excuses made when someone's property is seized, or someone is shot to death, yet is totally innocent.

The question for me isn't so much the condition of her property, it's how much right her local government has to regulate her use of it.

If she's violating a covenant she voluntarily made (as in a deed restriction) that's one thing. If she's the victim of do-gooder busybodies who pass rules in order to run others' lives, that's another.

We have a couple of such jackasses in my neighborhood. They moved in next to a meatpacking plant, and then started a campaign to shut it down. Sometimes folks like that get their views into law through city councils. Every time I drive through a parking lot in Houston, I curse Eleanor Tinsley and her ridiculous rules requiring plantings and limited access.

BTW, maybe the lady leaves her Christmas lights up all the time.

There oughtta be a law !!!

[freeeee]

Sheesh, she still haves her Christmas decorations up.

Yeah, how dare she hurt your tender sensitivities by not asking your permission before she decorated her house. Doesn't she know you're the Direktor of Good Taste?!

I say off with her head. That'll put these property "owners" in their place!

BTW, has the color of your mailbox been approved?

[Arpege92]

"Is the purpose of the law to protect your property, or to let me remake it as I see fit?"

That question can also apply to this woman.

[Catspaw]

No. warm hats :-))

[Modernman]

Is the purpose of the law to protect your property, or to let me remake it as I see fit?

Protect your property, it seems.

[GovernmentShrinker]

Tough. In some neighborhoods, having "gun nuts" move in and sit on their front porch cleaning their guns, can drop the property values through the floor, 'cause it makes all the Brady Bunch locals nervous. If the property value problem is so bad, let the other homeowners negotiate with her to either buy or maintain her property. If they aren't willing to do that, the problem obviously ain't so bad.

This whole thing sounds more like a campaign by municipal bureaucrats to boost their tax base, so that they can have more money for their precious programs, than a matter of legitimately concerned neighbors.

[Guillermo]

Have you kicked your dog today?

[Guillermo]

Well, you know the old Russian saying...If you want to keep your feet warm, keep your head warm.

[socal_parrot]

There's a perfect candidate for ABC's Extreme Home Makeover.

[CajunConservative]

This whole thing sounds more like a campaign by municipal bureaucrats to boost their tax base, so that they can have more money for their precious programs, than a matter of legitimately concerned neighbors.

Bingo! You hit the nail on the head.