Foreclosure Cleaning: Metro Atlanta Area Using Prisoners to Clean Foreclosed Properties
Many communities around the country are left with abandoned/foreclosed properties that become eyesores when they aren’t maintained. The grass gets overgrown, reptiles can take over, vagrant/gang activity can become a problem and a host of other negatives that no one wants to contend with if they’re a homeowner.
But, because so many properties are being foreclosed on these days, cities are having a hard time enforcing maintenance codes.
Foreclosure Cleanup: Prisoners Getting the Job Done
One metro Atlanta county has found — for now — a resolution: using prisoners to clean up foreclosed properties. The Atlanta Journal Constitution article, Clayton uses captive crews for foreclosure cleanup, states:
Many counties and cities use inmates to keep roads clean, but Clayton County is believed to be a pioneer in using prisoners to tackle its part of one of the nation’s biggest environmental headaches and cleanup jobs these days: foreclosed homes and abandoned properties.
3 Advantages of Using Inmates to Clean Foreclosed Properties
Saves Taxpayers Money: According to the article, using inmates will save Clayton County about a quarter of a million dollars that would have gone to private contractors (eg, foreclosure cleanup companies).
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Helps Inmates Give Back to Community: When you commit a crime, you in essence take away from a community. This is one way for prisoners to positivel give back to neighborhoods they’ve harmed.
Get More Properties Cleaned: Ostensibly, more properties can be cleaned up (and quicker) if inmates are used because there’s no need to contract with private foreclosure cleaning companies, wait to be put on the schedule, etc. As inmates are under the control of a city/state, they can be transported to properties easily to get the work done.
While this may rankle those who own foreclosure cleaning businesses in the area, there’s still plenty of work to go around for everyone. The communities where foreclosed properties are being cleaned up are the real winners, and that’s always good news for city officials.
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What do you think? Do you think it’s a good idea for inmates to be used to clean foreclosed properties? Let us know in the comments section below.
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Copyright © 2010 Yuwanda Black for Foreclosure Business News. Article may not be reprinted or reproduced in any manner without the express, written consent of the author.