Cincinnati's vice mayor said Monday the city needs to be accountable for clearing litter and weeds off city owned lots just like it is cracking down on private property owners.
David Mann gathered reporters at a vacant lot on Fairbanks Avenue in East Price Hill.
"One of the major complaints that I hear every place is 'what about that city lot?'," Mann said. "'Why don't you take care of city property the same way you expect private property owners to take care of their property?' And I agree."
The site Mann highlights has tall grass, dumped tree limbs, tires and even a boat.
Mann says once a site is cleaned up, the city needs to make sure it stays that way.
"We know what property we own and we need to take care of the property on a regular schedule," Mann says. "In the age of the computer and the age of analytics, that's something that can be done easily."
Cincinnati officials say they're trying to be more proactive when dealing with litter. That includes clearing it before someone files a complaint.
The city will use $300,000 in savings from snow and ice removal for litter abatement efforts this year.
Starting in July, the city will sweep every city-maintained street once a month.
City Manager Harry Black says, in the past, the city was lucky if it swept 1,000 miles of street per year. Soon it will be sweeping 1,600 miles per month.
