WASHINGTON (Map, News) - The D.C. government issued nearly 1,400 citations last year and placed liens on the homes of hundreds of District residents who failed to keep their lawns mowed and their properties free of weeds.

Mowing season in D.C. starts Thursday and runs through Oct. 31. Overgrown lawns, defined as grass and weeds exceeding 10 inches, may subject homeowners and renters to a $500 fine, plus the cost of a mow if the District does the work.

The Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs issued 2,790 citations during the 2006 and 2007 grass-cutting seasons, according to statistics provided by the agency — roughly 1,400 in 2007 alone. Ward 5 residents picked up the most with 631, while Ward 3 residents received the fewest: 69.

In most of those cases, the citations were nothing more than warnings: Residents took care of the problem before DCRA could issue a fine. But 446 times last year, D.C. cut lawns itself and then put liens on the properties for $300 on average. The agency also pursued fines, though it’s unclear how many were paid.

Angel Alston, a Ward 5 advisory neighborhood commissioner, said overgrown lawns are a common complaint, one frequently raised during community meetings. But the government hasn’t done a good job of communicating the rules.

“I think a lot of residents aren’t actually aware what the guidelines are,” Alston said. “So they’re getting fined, and they’re like ‘Wait, I didn’t know this was law.’ A lot of people just brush it to the side until they get that citation.”

Overgrown lawns can harbor rodents, conceal garbage, create an unpleasant smell, constitute a fire hazard or exacerbate grass pollen and asthma issues, according to DCRA.

The agency’s 35 housing inspectors are authorized to issue warnings — door knockers that advise, “It appears your grass is getting a little high” — followed by citations that provide a week to abate the blight.

“Most people comply,” DCRA spokesman Michael Rupert said.

mneibauer@dcexaminer.com