An ordinance that requires that banks and mortgage companies be required to keep up their properties just like every other property owner? What a novel idea:

FARMINGTON, Mich. (AP) — Farmington officials have given notice to mortgage lenders that foreclose on homes: Maintain the properties or face fines.

Farmington has amended its nuisance ordinance to require banks and brokers that own abandoned homes to keep them up. The community of 10,400 is about 15 miles west-northwest of Detroit.

City Manager Vincent Pastue says Farmington has about 50 homes in foreclosure, and about 40 percent of them are abandoned.

Pastue tells the Detroit Free Press the law that took effect Thursday requires lenders to have trash removed and grass cut. They also must hire managers to monitor the properties each week.

Violators can be fined and have liens placed on the properties.

This should have been in their nuisance oridance, yesterday. Hopefully, this is in most municipal nuisance ordinances.