McAllen family concerned with tall grass in neighboring property
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After more than a month of contacting the city of McAllen regarding tall grass in the abandoned property next door, a McAllen family says they’re feeling unsettled by the sight of it.
"When you've lived here this long, and you come and you visit — and you see what you see — it's unsettling,” Imelda Guzman said.
The tall grass is bringing swarms of mosquitoes, the family said.
Guzman provided emails documenting her back and forth with the city since early June. The city of McAllen said procedures have to be followed for its code enforcement department to take care of the tall grass.
In order for the code enforcement department to mow the grass, it has to be at least four feet tall. Video shows that the grass is taller than Guzman’s four-foot tall fence.
The city provided Channel 5 News with the following statement:
“The recent and continued rains over the past several weeks have caused grass to grow on empty and unattended lots throughout McAllen. That has caused an influx of almost 150 work orders regarding weedy and overgrown lots to be received by the City of McAllen Health and Code Enforcement, and specifically, eight work orders along 19 ½ Street. Additionally, by law, City of McAllen officials must first notify property owners by certified mail regarding the situation and allow them the time prescribed by statute to take care of the problem. It is only after that time has expired can the City of McAllen move forward to abate the problem. A shortage of mowing service in McAllen has also exacerbated this problem. The City of McAllen is working as diligently as possible to catch up to work orders and get weedy and overgrown lots mowed by either the property owner or abated by the City of McAllen. None of the properties on 19 ½ Street are owned by the City of McAllen.”
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