Look at this one! Florida. "A Florida woman was fined $100,000 for a dirty pool and overgrown grass. When do fines become excessive?" "Kristi Allen read the letter and thought it had to be a scam. It said she owed $92,600 in fines for overgrown vegetation and a stagnant swimming pool at a house she no longer owned. She must pay in two weeks, the letter said, hinting that she could be sued if she didn't. Including interest charges and other fees, her debt swelled to $103,559, about twice her yearly income. Three months later, in late 2018, the city of Dunedin sued to collect, setting off another legal fight over how local governments use their power to impose heavy fines on citizens. What Allen, 38, a mother of two, thought had to be a scam turned into a nightmare she said could bankrupt her family." Dunedin, a small seaside city outside Tampa, cracks down on code violations, saddling homeowners with massive fines while its revenue grows. In 5½ years, the city has collected nearly $3.6 million in fines – sometimes tens of thousands at a time – for violating laws that prohibit grasses taller than 10 inches, recreational vehicles parked on streets at certain hours or sidings and bricks that don't match. See: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/florida-woman-fined-100-000-101646606.html
If someone can afford to live there, they should be able to afford paying someone to keep their lawn and pool up. Problem is also with snowbirds who only winter there and then leave their yards as an eyesore through out the summer months. If someone has junk in their yard, they mess up the view. They are striving to remain pristine...also to protect their beaches and water. This is Dunedin:
@Beth Gallagher I noted that, too. Wondered if it might be brought to discussion. Several thoughts come to mind. IF she sold the property already under citation, clearly she is responsible for it's condition having deteriorated; however, unless the buyer, especially if under the guide of a realtor, should have been aware the property's condition was subject to official question. Or, as the article suggests, hungry municipalities are augmenting revenue thusly, might they be fining both owners? What about the Supreme Court decision, regarding excessive fines? How might fines be developed having ceilings? What happens when the fine = the property value? How many properties are being glommed by municipalities? Frank