Riverview FL and Area Abandoned Homes Beware

Riverview, FL homes are about to be taxed for clean-up if the home appears to be abandoned. The high number of homes that have been foreclosed on leading to many being abandoned and ending up with overgrown lots and houses in disrepair are being seen more frequently. Neighborhood residents are complaining about the eye sores and many homes have been the site of hangouts for drug offenders. Riverview, FL homes are the subject of a tax proposed by the city attorney. The method is already in use by a few cities in Florida.

Under this new taxing method, the commission would pass an ordinance that would create a taxing district just for these Riverview, FL homes. The city would have the right to add a non-ad valorem assessment to properties that are not being taken care of and appear to be abandoned. The city would find a company that would clean up the lots and the owners of the property would be billed. If they did not pay for the clean-up, the amount would be added to their next tax bill.

The homes are becoming a problem and many neighbors are complaining about the state of the Riverview, FL home s. The city has a code enforcement but they have not had very much luck getting the banks that are out of state to take care of the properties. The way the cities used to take care of this type of problem was to clean the property and then put a lien against it for the amount it cost to clean it up. However, they lost money if the property went into short sale.

The one thing the city wants people to realize is this would not be citywide. The only properties that a non-ad valorem assessment would be attached to would be the properties that appear to be abandoned. The elimination of these types of nuisance properties is the goal.

Another city, Fort Meade, which is similar in size to Dade City, had the same problems. The homes were being bought cheap and left to sit. The city found a solution. They passed an ordinance in 2009, making it illegal for anyone to abandon property within the city of Fort Meade. Another ordinance gave them the right to charge for the cost of cleaning up the property. The city ended up paying to have two abandoned houses torn down and for the mowing cost of 35 vacant lots. The owners of these properties have been assessed a total of $22, 419.

The trouble with putting liens on the property was if a bank owned the property, they did not pay the lien. When an assessment is put against the property, they will normally pay this fee. Polk County has adopted this same policy in December. The county started adding the cost of mowing abandoned properties to the 2010 tax bills of the property owners. The hardest part of doing this is setting it up. The county as well as the city have to work out agreements with the property appraiser for the county as well as the tax collector to add assessments to an individual’s taxes.

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