RICHMOND, Va. – As the grass creeps up higher in the oncoming summer temperatures, so does the call volume of complaints concerning overgrown grass.
The city spends roughly $250,000 to $350,000 to maintain tall grass at vacant properties, said John Walsh with the Code Enforcement Department.
The complaints really drive the work inspectors do this time of year, he said. And they stay super busy because they get three times the calls during the warmest season.
Three property owners want the city to take better care of vacant properties
In fact, this week three different women from different areas of the city contacted the CBS 6 Problem Solvers, concerned about vacant lots next to their homes overrun with grass, mosquitoes, rats and other critters.
Walsh said his department has contacted the three women and will address the tall grass issues. And he encourages neighbors to use a new hotline that they set up to deal with this very issue: the weed hotline.
Walsh said they currently have 25 inspectors to deal with the thousands of environmental calls. However, they are still a few inspectors short but said the department is currently seeking to fill those vacancies.
If you need help with a tall grass issue in the city, call (804) 646-WEED (9333).
