Residents in the Sunnyside area of Houston are expressing their frustration over rampant illegal dumping in their community, with many feeling ignored by local officials.
Despite the presence of no dumping signs, illegal waste continues to pile up in various locations, prompting residents to ask for additional support and monitoring to tackle the issue.
Stephanie Love, a longtime resident, highlighted her concern about the impact of illegal dumping on property values. “This is a passion of mine because I live here, and you’re making my property value go down with all your illegal dumping,” Love said.
Living in the neighborhood for over six years, she reported that repeated calls to address the dumping problem have yielded little to no results. Mr. Lewis, another resident who has lived in the area for decades, echoed her sentiments, stating, “We need some help. We need some help.”
Love provided KHOU 11 with evidence of the ongoing issue, sharing images of trash and tires that have accumulated over time. She mentioned that some of the piles of waste have been present for months and even years.
Locations like Cullen and Orem Streets feature significant deposits of waste, including large tires that line the roads. Residents are discouraged as they see the problem persisting. One local remarked about the recurring nature of the issue, saying, “They come back two days later back again.”
While there are instances where some waste is removed, many residents believe that the existing deterrents are ineffective. Love expressed her frustration with the signs meant to discourage dumping, claiming that they seem to simply indicate where people can leave their trash. “You can see all the tires that dump right here beneath the sign; nobody cares about that sign,” she lamented.
In hopes of revitalizing their neighborhood, community members are advocating for increased monitoring options, including surveillance cameras in strategic locations. They remain committed to reporting the ongoing dumping issues and are hopeful that their concerns will eventually be addressed.
KHOU 11 has reached out to the city of Houston, as well as the Public Works and Solid Waste departments, seeking comment on the residents’ complaints.
In response to the growing concerns, Council Member Dr. Carolyn Evans-Shabazz issued a statement acknowledging the severity of the illegal dumping problem in District D, particularly in areas like Cullen and Orem.
“We hear the frustrations of our residents, and I want them to know that we are taking this issue seriously,” Dr. Evans-Shabazz stated.
She outlined that her office is collaborating closely with multiple city departments to investigate reported dumping sites and is exploring additional enforcement measures, such as installing surveillance cameras in heavily affected areas.
The council member is advocating for more resources to effectively address the illegal dumping crisis, emphasizing the need for monitoring and accountability in protecting the neighborhood’s health and quality of life.
Dr. Evans-Shabazz concluded, “We will not allow the illegal actions of a few to continue degrading our community.”
image source from：https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/illegal-dumping-sunnyside/285-6e33e23a-43f6-4a98-8bd3-96bae5c8165e
