ATLANTA (CBS ATLANTA) -
Atlantans fed up with vacant homes in their neighborhood have Tough Questions about the city's new plan to fix the problem.
Next week, the city will roll out a program that will require vacant property owners to register with the city.
Some neighborhoods have more boarded up homes on a block than residents.
Those residents want to know will this plan work.
"I live next door to abandoned house," said Tracy Bates.
Bates and other residents call it an up hill battle. For years they've been fighting to clean up vacant properties in their northeast Atlanta neighborhood.
"You cant get support from a neighbor who is not home, so if no one lives next to you, you don't feel like there's someone in the fight with you," said Bates.
After years of fighting, Atlanta City Councilwoman Joyce Sheperd said she's found part of the solution.
"What we are doing is we are trying to get tougher," said Sheperd.
Sheperd said a new vacant property registration program will help the city keep track of property owners and hold them accountable. She said those homes not only bring down the neighborhood, but they attract crime.
Vacant property owners will have until April 1 to get on the rolls.
Owners who fail to register after a property sits vacant for more than 30 days will be slapped with a citation. Residents have Tough Questions about when they'll see results.
"Our goal is by this summer that the community will see a difference," said Sheperd.
Sheperd said the city will go after the slum lords who may have skipped town, but said it wouldn't be easy.
She said a public service announcement will start airing alerting people about the program.
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