A city ordinance will help building inspectors identify the banks that own abandoned homes and — with the threat of stiffer fines — encourage them to keep them clean and safe.

A dilapidated South Los Angeles home with tall weeds, a fallen fence, broken windows and graffiti was chosen to serve as the backdrop for a news conference Saturday as city officials announced a crackdown against derelict, bank-owned homes under a new city ordinance.

(READ the story in the LA Times)