Woman Goes to Jail for Not Mowing Lawn

[Matt1970]

I don't own a house, no.

Can any of the house owners explain why they think they're entitled to a state-enforced value?

Own a house and you will understand.

 

[Matt1970]

IMO, Mrs. Holloway's house seems no worse (and in some ways better) than her neighbors. The biggest difference: she hasn't cleared the woods behind her property, unlike many of her neighbors. Although a railroad passes right behind these properties, so it's not the most appealing location.

She's also located 1/4 a mile from the sheriff's office, who is likely the real culprit here. Otherwise, I'm saving my indignation for way bigger injustices.

Front of the property:
https://www.google.com/maps/@35.784...sqIIo2zh86SlV613JTz2JpA!2e0!5s2014-03!6m1!1e1

Side of the property:
https://www.google.com/maps/@35.784...s4kidrm7IqWnxC0i5Jlv8WA!2e0!5s2014-03!6m1!1e1

Back of the property:
https://www.google.com/maps/@35.784...sG-RkOorFQKpIYmhgsCp0og!2e0!5s2014-03!6m1!1e1

Those pics are from March.

 

[NoStateofMind]

Ab so frekin lute ly.

Uhuh

 

[bradley]

Those pics are from March.

And the panoramas are fairly identical to recent news footage. I was expecting something *far* more heinous for something deserving of jail time.

I bet someone couldn't pic out the offending neighbor if given the general location. IMO, the house next door looks way closer to city condemnation.

Additionally, parking your car on sidewalks seems fairly common in this neighborhood, so perhaps this will be enforced next.

 

[OutHouse]

Yet its not your business whether I mow my lawn or not.

actually it is. like i said and most city ordinances back me up on this. dont like it? dont own a home in town or HOA.

 

[OutHouse]

do we ever truly own our homes if it can be taken away for not paying your yearly taxes?

nope, the only land owner in the US is the government. pay your rent or get evicted.

 

[OutHouse]

If one untidy neighbour is all it takes to drag down the value of all the properties around him, it just shows that the entire market is over inflated and built on smoke and bullshit.

What makes you think you're entitled to these higher values?

you sure are ignorant.

 

[OutHouse]

what makes you think you're entitled to a state-enforced value?

dafuck?

 

[NoStateofMind]

actually it is. like i said and most city ordinances back me up on this. dont like it? dont own a home in town or HOA.

Ah yes skip the rest of that post. City ordinances do not magically make extortion into something else. Extortion is extortion no matter who the perpetrator is. The sad fact is you refuse to see that simply because you like manipulating your neighbors. Not good enough.

nope, the only land owner in the US is the government. pay your rent or get evicted.

Yep, slaves own nothing.

 

[Subyman]

She had to take it pretty far to actually go to jail. The first citation should be enough to spend an hour outside mowing or pay a neighborhood boy $20 a month to keep it clean. You literally have to not do a thing for 3 months or so for the grass to get that tall. For bushes and trees to overgrow we are talking about years. It is a fire hazard.

IMO, they should give her community service and use that time for her to do her yard work. Jail is too far.

 

[Subyman]

Ah yes skip the rest of that post. City ordinances do not magically make extortion into something else. Extortion is extortion no matter who the perpetrator is. The sad fact is you refuse to see that simply because you like manipulating your neighbors. Not good enough.




Yep, slaves own nothing.

I guess you are against taxes of any form. Only slaves pay their masters. *rolls eyes*

 

[Matt1970]

Ah yes skip the rest of that post. City ordinances do not magically make extortion into something else. Extortion is extortion no matter who the perpetrator is. The sad fact is you refuse to see that simply because you like manipulating your neighbors. Not good enough.

All you are saying is you think fines for breaking the law is extortion.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

I don't own a house, no.

Yes, it is very, very obvious you don't.

 

[Darwin333]

Yep, I like our system. I don't want anyone to go to jail but I also don't want eyesores in my neighborhood.

Luckily most of my neighbors are good and decent people. If someones grass is an "eyesore" in my neighborhood then my neighbors and I will give them a hand. What's so hard about that?

Plus I generally win in games of "who can be the bigger asshole" when assholes pull shit like that. I will paint my house hot pink with purple polkadots and put the most ungodly ugly roof on my house and I can do it for rather cheap. I will create so much more of an eyesore and it will be completely legal simply because someone wanted to be an asshole and I can play that game well. As a bonus, I can get all of the above done for less than material costs so its not even that big of a financial burden.

Maybe throw in a $200 complete rusted out junker of a car, that runs to be in compliance, in the driveway or hell maybe park it in the yard (not sure if there is a code here but some neighbors park in the grass on the side of their house) or even better a rusted out pickup with a tarp liner in the back and make a redneck hot tub!

You are supposed to help your neighbors, as I have and will continue to do, not be dicks and put them through even more hardship. Fuck assholes that live in my neighborhood, I wouldn't consider them "neighbors" and I promise I can beat them at their own game and I'll have a damn good time doing it.

 

[Matt1970]

I don't own a house, no.

Can any of the house owners explain why they think they're entitled to a state-enforced value?

Let me just elaborate here just a tad. Lets say you have two identical neighborhoods a couple blocks apart. The first one all has well kept lawns and the second has a few that the owners let the grass grow a foot tall and are eyesores. Which of the two is going to have more demand for buyers? Demand always fetches the higher price. All the houses originally sold for the same price so everyone has invested the same. Is it fair to the owners in the second neighborhood to take a $10,000 loss on their house or more if they sell because someone can't get out and mow their lawn and do basic upkeep on their house? If you think I am going to let the value of my house drop because someone is too lazy to get out and mow their lawn you have another thing coming.

You have the right to never have to touch a lawn mower for the rest of your life, but if you think you have the right to do that AND live in a community that wants their laws kept up, you better either hire a lawn service or choose another place to live because your neighbors are not going to put up with it and will make your life hell. The law and the majority are on their side. Choice is up to you.

 

[Darwin333]

Its not smoke and mirrors when your house attracts less attention, less buyers and you receive numerically lower offers on your for sale home when you live next to a hillbilly family.

Honestly answer this question as to which property will be valued higher. A home on a nice street vs the same one where it looks like 1 or more neighbors are unkempt?

So what about paint and shingle colors? Should those be legislated as well because someone else might not like it?

We can make a government approved list of 5 or 6 paints maybe? Or how about just making a government approved list of building plans. Lets say 2 styles for 2 bedroom houses, 2 for 3, 2 for 4, etc.... That way everyones shit looks exactly the same and we don't have to worry about someone elses property rights costing you a few nickels.

Otherwise, even though I'm not a dick and would have definitely tidied up if someone was having an open house or even just asked and I damn sure would accept the help if offered, if one of my neighbors is as big of an asshole as some people in this thread I will make a fucking neon glowing hillbilly, redneck, ghetto ass eyesore that is within the bounds of city/parish code just to piss em off. You see, I don't need the approval of others to feel good about myself so someone who I couldn't give half a shit about thinking my house looks funny doesn't even register on my give-o-shit meter.

With that said, I do enjoy cutting the grass. When the mower is running it is impossible for me to hear my cell phone, its an hour of peace in my book. My German Shepard loves it too, every time I stop he hauls ass to me, getting in the way of whatever I'm trying to do, until he gets his treat, like the damn troll at the bridge expecting his tax to cross it lol.

 

[Matt1970]

Luckily most of my neighbors are good and decent people. If someones grass is an "eyesore" in my neighborhood then my neighbors and I will give them a hand. What's so hard about that?

Plus I generally win in games of "who can be the bigger asshole" when assholes pull shit like that. I will paint my house hot pink with purple polkadots and put the most ungodly ugly roof on my house and I can do it for rather cheap. I will create so much more of an eyesore and it will be completely legal simply because someone wanted to be an asshole and I can play that game well. As a bonus, I can get all of the above done for less than material costs so its not even that big of a financial burden.

Maybe throw in a $200 complete rusted out junker of a car, that runs to be in compliance, in the driveway or hell maybe park it in the yard (not sure if there is a code here but some neighbors park in the grass on the side of their house) or even better a rusted out pickup with a tarp liner in the back and make a redneck hot tub!

You are supposed to help your neighbors, as I have and will continue to do, not be dicks and put them through even more hardship. Fuck assholes that live in my neighborhood, I wouldn't consider them "neighbors" and I promise I can beat them at their own game and I'll have a damn good time doing it.

That's cool. Neighbors first response to anything should be to help each other out and not rat them out. My next door neighbor's kids live right around the corner and have yet to come help her out. Last fall her leaves got to be too much for her to handle so I helper her out and took care of them for her and mowed her lawn a few times this summer. I could have easily said F-That and told her that her kids should be doing it, which they should, but what does that solve? I will help her because she is almost 70 and she tries. If she was much younger and didn't even make an effort, than I am sure my other neighbors would be the first to call code enforcement on her. And in my neighborhood I would probably be the first to have the cops called on them seeing as how I used to be in a band that played in my basement twice a week.

 

[Darwin333]

I take it you don't own a house?

I DO own a house and I purchased it as a place for my family and I to hang our hats in. It was worth what I paid at the time for a place to live and raise my kids.

That is kinda what houses are supposed to be. I don't know about your block but there are zero houses currently for sale on mine, one sold last year and took roughly 3 weeks to sell. So for 3 weeks out of almost two years there was a potential for "property value" to drop because of some neighbor.

I wonder, how many homes on that block are for sale to justify putting this woman in jail for her lawn? If you aren't trying to sell it you haven't lost a damn thing, at least if the argument that cutting the grass increases their property value is true.

So my question is, if you have no intention on selling then why are you worried about the perceived impact of your neighbors on your property? My homes value, at least until I try to sell it, is based on it being a home not some investment.

 

[Matt1970]

So what about paint and shingle colors? Should those be legislated as well because someone else might not like it?

We can make a government approved list of 5 or 6 paints maybe? Or how about just making a government approved list of building plans. Lets say 2 styles for 2 bedroom houses, 2 for 3, 2 for 4, etc.... That way everyones shit looks exactly the same and we don't have to worry about someone elses property rights costing you a few nickels.

Otherwise, even though I'm not a dick and would have definitely tidied up if someone was having an open house or even just asked and I damn sure would accept the help if offered, if one of my neighbors is as big of an asshole as some people in this thread I will make a fucking neon glowing hillbilly, redneck, ghetto ass eyesore that is within the bounds of city/parish code just to piss em off. You see, I don't need the approval of others to feel good about myself so someone who I couldn't give half a shit about thinking my house looks funny doesn't even register on my give-o-shit meter.

With that said, I do enjoy cutting the grass. When the mower is running it is impossible for me to hear my cell phone, its an hour of peace in my book. My German Shepard loves it too, every time I stop he hauls ass to me, getting in the way of whatever I'm trying to do, until he gets his treat, like the damn troll at the bridge expecting his tax to cross it lol.

I think what you are making the argument of here is like someone having the cops called on them for having missed a Saturday of lawn mowing, when what most everyone else is referring to is someone who hasn't mowed their lawn or done any upkeep for a while. Look at the video in the OP link. The lady has trees growing in her gutters. That is pure neglect.

 

[Darwin333]

That's cool. Neighbors first response to anything should be to help each other out and not rat them out. My next door neighbor's kids live right around the corner and have yet to come help her out. Last fall her leaves got to be too much for her to handle so I helper her out and took care of them for her and mowed her lawn a few times this summer. I could have easily said F-That and told her that her kids should be doing it, which they should, but what does that solve? I will help her because she is almost 70 and she tries. If she was much younger and didn't even make an effort, than I am sure my other neighbors would be the first to call code enforcement on her. And in my neighborhood I would probably be the first to have the cops called on them seeing as how I used to be in a band that played in my basement twice a week.

I don't know whats wrong with people these days. It would take me less effort to get a few of my neighbors together and go take care of the yard our damn selves then finding who to call, calling them, burdening my neighbor even more (regardless of how lazy they are), waiting for code enforcement and all that jazz.

We spent dozens of hours helping neighbors that weren't even home yet after hurricanes. THAT is what good neighbors do. Hell I helped pay for my next door neighbors tree trimming because it was hanging over my roof and I didn't want it falling through if we get another storm. The guy is elderly, wife is in the hospital dying, and couldn't afford it. I could have called code enforcement because hey, its his problem right? They are decent folk, putting them into an even bigger bind doesn't help anyone out.

 

[Darwin333]

I think what you are making the argument of here is like someone having the cops called on them for having missed a Saturday of lawn mowing, when what most everyone else is referring to is someone who hasn't mowed their lawn or done any upkeep for a while. Look at the video in the OP link. The lady has trees growing in her gutters. That is pure neglect.

I own a construction company and some of the most neglected roofs I have seen were owned by the government. The same government that fines people for neglecting their property. You know how many potholes I drive over to get to work? Look around you brother, neglect is all over the damn place and you want to throw some lady in jail for neglecting her yard???

25% of the worlds prison population right here in the US and dumb shit like this is the reason why.

 

[Darwin333]

Let me just elaborate here just a tad. Lets say you have two identical neighborhoods a couple blocks apart. The first one all has well kept lawns and the second has a few that the owners let the grass grow a foot tall and are eyesores. Which of the two is going to have more demand for buyers? Demand always fetches the higher price. All the houses originally sold for the same price so everyone has invested the same. Is it fair to the owners in the second neighborhood to take a $10,000 loss on their house or more if they sell because someone can't get out and mow their lawn and do basic upkeep on their house? If you think I am going to let the value of my house drop because someone is too lazy to get out and mow their lawn you have another thing coming.

You have the right to never have to touch a lawn mower for the rest of your life, but if you think you have the right to do that AND live in a community that wants their laws kept up, you better either hire a lawn service or choose another place to live because your neighbors are not going to put up with it and will make your life hell. The law and the majority are on their side. Choice is up to you.

I'll ask again, what about painting there house some odd assortment of colors that doesn't live up to your standards? Should the .gov step in and prevent said neighbor from doing that because of some perceived impact on their neighbors?

 

[Matt1970]

I'll ask again, what about painting there house some odd assortment of colors that doesn't live up to your standards? Should the .gov step in and prevent said neighbor from doing that because of some perceived impact on their neighbors?

I would think so. If you want to do that shit, move out in the sticks and then you can paint polka dots all over your house if you want to.

 

[Victorian Gray]

I would think so. If you want to do that shit, move out in the sticks and then you can paint polka dots all over your house if you want to.

Says a proponent of 'small government'.

 

[Veliko]

Let me just elaborate here just a tad. Lets say you have two identical neighborhoods a couple blocks apart. The first one all has well kept lawns and the second has a few that the owners let the grass grow a foot tall and are eyesores. Which of the two is going to have more demand for buyers?

You're not elaborating, merely repeating yourself.

Are you actively looking to sell your house at the moment? Because if you aren't, why the obsession with making sure lawns are mowed in order to keep the phantom value of your property up?

And trying to make a point about me not being a homeowner just goes to show how narrow your thinking is. A homeowner can only sell their house to future potential buyers... which is what non-homeowners are... and unless you think the housing market can be perpetually maintained by the current crop of existing homeowners buying and selling from each other, putting your fingers in your ears and refusing to listen is somewhat daft.

This obsession with houseprices is one of the reasons why the banks imploded a few years ago.