EUCLID, Ohio — It's been a wet few weeks in Northeast Ohio, so naturally, the growth of grass is a little out of control.
"There's a lot of elderly, a lot of shut-ins, a lot of disabled that can't get out there. We had a lot of rain. Grass is super long, so we made a point of saying if you need help, give us a call, we'll come out and help you," A Better Euclid Executive Director Dani Pajak said on Thursday.
The help from this nonprofit comes at a perfect time as the City of Euclid is starting to cite homeowners this week for grass six inches and taller.
Euclid's tall grass nuisance program began on Monday, May 5.
"We place a nuisance ticket at the property that gives 48 hours for the resident to mow. We do a follow-up inspection 48 hours-ish (sometimes longer) to verify if it was taken care of. If not, we abate the nuisance and charge the resident," Euclid Assistant to the Mayor, Kristal Grida, said. "We focus on the very high grass the first couple of weeks, especially this season, since we’ve had so much rain. We try to be thoughtful, but consistent."
As of Wednesday, the city had only cited five properties.
If cited homeowners fail to mow their lawn, the city will process a fine of $150.
"Once a year, unpaid nuisance charges get approved by council to be assessed to property taxes. The $150 example would then be $75 on the first property tax bill and $75 on the second. Please know the owner gets the assessed charge – not the tenant. It is an owner’s responsibility to be engaged with their property and maintain the upkeep or ensure their tenant is maintaining it," Grida explained.
No one has been charged yet, according to Grida.
A potential fine of $150 is not possible for some to pay, though, like Lillian Ross.
"I'm on a limited income as it is and $150 is a lot for a person on a limited income, so I wouldn't even know where to start to handle it honestly," Ross told us.
Ross explained she's retired and her husband is disabled, so cutting the grass on her property regularly isn't possible.
While she hasn't received a citation from the city, Ross said she wanted to avoid it.
That's where A Better Euclid comes in.
On Thursday, the nonprofit chopped a total of 10 yards, including Ross's.
"It's like the best service ever honestly. I really need it," she said.
Pajak and his wife, Natalie, who serves as the secretary for A Better Euclid, said not only is there a need for this type of assistance, but they also want to change others' perspective of the city.
"It's our way of trying to change the narrative about our city and let people know there are a lot of great people out here," Natalie explained.
A Better Euclid has had roughly 30 people reach out regarding needing a lawn trim.
"Some people just wanted us as a long term solution for their summer lawn care, and that's not what we're doing," Natalie said.
Right now, it's just the Pajaks and two others who are volunteering to mow lawns. They're hoping more people will want to help.
"We reached out to the principal of Euclid High School and the athletic director and they said, 'Hey, some of our kids might want to help you guys cut lawns and it'd get our kids out in the neighborhoods,' so we'll be planning on something like that later this year," Pajak said.
The plan is to continue free lawn care to those in need after Mother's Day.
The Pajaks are hoping for grants to further boost the mission of their organization, but in the meantime, they are accepting donations.
If you'd like to donate to A Better Euclid, CLICK HERE.
A Better Euclid is also looking to raise more funds specifically for the lawn care assistance program it's running.
If you're in need of lawn care assistance, whether you've received a citation from the city or would just like to be proactive, email ABetterEuclid@gmail.com.
