The Town of Hempstead, the largest township in the United States, showed just how it gets things done on a grand scale. Led by our new Supervisor Anthony Santino, the Town Council passed two powerful initiatives on foreclosed, vacant and abandoned properties. The two town policies now require bank-owned properties to put down a payment whenever a business or home goes into foreclosure ($35,000 and $25,000 respectively). Town workers will use the funds to maintain the vacant properties and keep them from falling into disrepair. Any bank-owned property that does not comply would be fined between $500 to $1500 per day until they make the deposit. "A blighted business can drive customers away from local downtowns, encourage vandalism and adversely impact local home values", said Santino quoted in Newsday. Thank you to the Town of Hempstead for protecting the integrity of our communities and the beautiful suburban lifestyle we work hard to sustain.