The housing crisis has created a big problem for local governments — too many vacant lots.

Metro Atlanta has enough vacant lots ready for housing — 148,300 — to supply builders for the next five years, according to the national real estate research firm Metrostudy, which has an office in Atlanta. In a healthy market, the lot supply would be less than two years.

Many of the lots are being neglected, panelists said. In some cases, the cleared land is producing streams of mud when it rains, polluting waterways and lakes. Thieves are stealing unprotected manholes covers because the price of scrap iron is up. And people are dumping trash on the lots.  Continue here