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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Emergency Services Volunteer squad set to do CSI: Josephine County Man arrested for selling fake crystal Wild chinook making early splash in Bear Creek Showing their peers how it's done Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Emergency Services Man arrested for selling fake crystal 'Just another drunk driver that didn't want to go to jail' Emergency Services Police investigating reports of shots fired in west Medford Politics and Elections Dotterrer-Bates Senate race goes negative? 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Ashland sets forth plan for season Medford's Pixel Productions moves to new quarters Blog: Fall Into a New Season Tenants begin moving into One West Main Mike and Laura Naumes named First Citizens Real Estate News Medford's Pixel Productions moves to new quarters Tenants begin moving into One West Main Purchasers praise Harry & David's turnaround Historic building owners get lessons in restoration Pleasant weather, stable interest rates spurred summer home sales People In Business Transportation Agriculture Purchasers praise Harry & David's turnaround 1-800-Flowers.com buying Harry & David for $142.5 million Earlier than normal pear harvest coming up short of expectations Opinion Latest Election Letters, Sept. 27 Other Views: Carbon tax, the Cover Oregon of tax reform Jim Brock: It’s not about the minimum wage Let judges teach, serve: Yes on Measure 87 Letters to the Editor, Sept. 26 Editorials Other Views: Carbon tax, the Cover Oregon of tax reform Let judges teach, serve: Yes on Measure 87 Forest Service plan tramples First Amendment Our View: Viaduct study will confirm what everyone knows Thumbs up to Art+Sound; down to Kitzhaber Letters to the Editor Election Letters, Sept. 27 Letters to the Editor, Sept. 26 Letters to the Editor, Sept. 25 Letters to the Editor, Sept. 24 Letters to the Editor, Sept. 23 Guest Opinions Manor residents give in many ways Transparency is essential in O&C debate Hazardous fuel treatments vital to protection from severe wildfires Wilderness for Kalmiopsis has served us well Lifestyle Latest stories Not by a long shot? 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Police investigating reports of shots fired in west Medford ... New rules provide more options for cleaning out medicine cabinet ... Man arrested for selling fake crystal ... Police investigating reports of shots fired in west Medford ... New rules provide more options for cleaning out medicine cabinet ... OUR VIEW Our View: Make property owners pay for cleanup MailTribune.com Writer Posted Sep. 4, 2014 @ 12:01 am Posted Sep. 4, 2014 @ 12:01 am » Social News The Medford City Council is considering initiating foreclosure proceedings against abandoned and neglected properties to recover money the city has spent mowing lawns and removing trash. It's hard to see any reason not to proceed with this quickly and crack down on those who have the means to keep their properties from becoming eyesores. That is especially true in the case of properties owned or controlled by banks, which have plenty of resources to maintain the properties while they sit vacant or waiting to complete a foreclosure. Property owners concerned about abandoned properties in their neighborhoods have had little luck getting banks to respond to complaints, even when squatters have moved in. Police and code enforcement officials have limited ability to pursue the owners of these properties beyond sending bills to the owner of record. The city has 39 cases in which it has had to clean up trash or deal with other problems but has received no payment since at least 2012. Costs to the city — which means the taxpayers — total more than $56,000. That's not a huge amount relative to the city budget as a whole, but it's certainly worth recovering if that can be accomplished. In all, the city has 96 cases of problem properties, but officials want to pursue the 39 oldest cases first. City Council members have been reluctant to pursue heavy-handed tactics against owners who may be elderly or lacking the resources to repay the city. That's a valid concern, and it's apparently the reason foreclosure proceedings have been on hold since the depths of the recession. It should be possible to avoid going after owners who can make a legitimate case for a hardship exemption, but otherwise, the city should act decisively to recover its costs and hold negligent owners responsible. That's especially true in the case of banks, which have no incentive to keep up properties they will end up writing off anyway as long as they face no consequences. The real victims here are the neighbors of abandoned homes who must deal with squatters and the effects on their own property values. The city should act on their behalf. 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