Residents in Memphis, Tennessee can soon own vacant city and county land adjoining their property, provided they mow it—a program that’s been cropping up in a handful of municipalities.
Noticing residents—fearful unkempt neighboring lots would hurt their own property value—mowing parcels, Columbus, Ohio, created its mow-to-own program in 2012.
Both programs also allow nonprofits to accrue “sweat equity” tending adjacent plots.
Rockford, Illinois, approved a mow-to-own program in March because more than 100 vacant lots were costing the city $40,000 annually to mow.