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ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - A new “blight tax” could crack down on long-neglected properties in Atlanta, city officials announced Tuesday.

Proposed by Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and Councilmember Byron Amos, the legislation would let courts increase the taxes of some blighted properties up to 25 times the going rate. It would only apply to occupied properties, ensuring that nobody is moved from their home involuntarily, according to Dickens.

But the legislation doesn’t just punish. If approved, it would also include tax incentives for blighted properties that are returned to “productive use.” Large-scale remediation projects would be subject to a city-approved redevelopment plan prioritizing transportation and public amenities.

“Since taking office, our administration has moved with urgency to address substandard housing and root out negligent property owners,” the mayor said in a statement. “This new policy will equip the city with a powerful tool for cracking down on corporate, absentee owners who treat property as a cheap investment vehicle rather than part of the fabric of our communities.”

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Amos, who represents District 3, said his district has several blighted properties with owners “content to wait to cash in.” District 3 stretches from Atlantic Station and Georgia Tech to Bankhead and Center Hill.

“The blight tax will give us much greater leverage in persuading these owners to clean up their property or sell them to a better steward who will,” Amos said in a statement.