2 News’ Naomi Keitt is giving us a look at body camera video from a July 31st shooting where officers killed a man they say pointed a gun and threatened to kill a code enforcement officer.
There is a practical reason to the grass directly around your home, like you said, to deter rodents and insects. However, that is not the real reason. The real reason is property value. Untrimmed grass supposedly makes the neighborhood unattractive for people buying homes. Local municipalities get pushed into making petty ordinances to maintain property value for sellers and real estate businesses.
Using the excuse of property value is how a lot of nasty local laws get made. A lot of the terrible anti-homeless action you see in places like LA come from the argument about property value. Safety and sanitation is only thrown in after the decision has already been made.
“Untrimmed grass makes the neighborhood unattractive for people buying homes.”
“But nobody in my neighborhood is trying to sell! You’re hurting the pollinators with this policy, and in 10 years you won’t even be able to keep your lawn alive.”
There is a practical reason to the grass directly around your home, like you said, to deter rodents and insects. However, that is not the real reason. The real reason is property value. Untrimmed grass supposedly makes the neighborhood unattractive for people buying homes. Local municipalities get pushed into making petty ordinances to maintain property value for sellers and real estate businesses.
Using the excuse of property value is how a lot of nasty local laws get made. A lot of the terrible anti-homeless action you see in places like LA come from the argument about property value. Safety and sanitation is only thrown in after the decision has already been made.
I came for enlightenment. I received it