ATLANTA (AP) -- Two metro Atlanta counties and several municipalities have begun requiring owners of vacant properties to register and pay a fee.

Local governments say the registries are intended to deal with the collapsed housing market by locating the person or financial institution responsible for an abandoned structure. They say owners can then be required to fix shattered windows or mow the grass.

Fulton and DeKalb counties and the cities of Loganville, Riverdale and Powder Springs already have enacted ordinances. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that Gwinnett County and Lawrenceville are considering similar legislation.

Officials say vacant properties are breeding grounds for crime, accidents and fires, and that they lower the value of nearby residences.

Should similar ordinances be put in place to deal with vacant properties in Albany?

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