HOUSTON – A resident of the Heights neighborhood in Houston said her a dead-end in her neighborhood has been a dumping ground for garbage that isn’t welcome. She said the garbage is creating a hazard for reisdents who live nearby but said she is struggling to be heard.
Cheri Goodwin lives near Maxroy Street and Hurst Street in the Heights. However, after moving in the area in December, she has become all too familiar with the garbage in the area which has been sitting in the ditch for a while.
"There's these big beautiful trees and a lovely little park area, and as I walk down [Hurst Street]...I could see [sofas]!" Goodwin said.
She wasn’t kidding. A walk down Hurst St. towards the dead end will reveal several sofas and furniture.
"There was a chair back there," Goodwin explained walking along the road, examining the ditch.
After passing several chairs, Goodwin saw another chunk of garbage.
“Oh a tire,” Goodwin said. “Here’s the sofa!”
Goodwin said she had already put in multiple reports only to be redirected.
“They said, ‘No, it says it’s been taken care of.’ So I said, ‘No, it’s still there,’ and they said, ‘Okay, let’s put in another one.’ So I put in another one. I did that three times,” Goodwin said.
She’s been trying to get this issue addressed since March. In May, Houston police told her they ordered a city of Houston clean up and notified the property owner who is responsible for the easement maintenance. However, months later, the sight of trash littered around is all too familiar.
Goodwin is worried about safety and the waterways.
“You’ll see things sort of scurry [in the ditch],” she said.
She hopes that something is done to make sure the garbage is cleaned up.
“When people see other things dumped, they think, ‘Oh I can just dump my stuff too,’” Goodwin said.
Her neighbors have simply given up, she said.
Goodwin just hopes to be heard. She hopes the garbage will be cleaned up and that it is maintained.
“It’s so close to where people are living. That’s what’s disgusting,” Goodwin said.