HOUSTON – Homeowners in southeast Houston are unhappy with a home and a pile of trash that has become an eyesore to the neighborhood.
The massive pile of stuff sits on Glenhurst Drive. “It’s a sore sight to see,” said neighbor Alice Sneed who has lived in the neighborhood for decades.
“I always watch the show Hoarders, but I never thought I would actually live next door to them,” Tonya Banks, a homeowner who lives just next door to the pile of trash, said. “It’s horrible. Horrible.”
These neighbors said the stuff has been collecting in and out of the house for years.
“First, it was going that way [on the lawn] and then they finally made it like this,” another neighbor Stephanie Page said, pointing to the pile of trash.
“Rats and snakes... ain’t no telling what’s coming out of there,” Sneed added.
The City of Houston Department of Neighborhoods tells KPRC 2:
“Inspectors went to the property in December of 2021. The owners were cited and got an extension to remove trash and junk vehicles. Inspectors went back in March of this year. The junk vehicles were removed but not the trash. The owners were cited a second time. The owners will have to go to court and could be fined if the situation is not remedied.”
However, neighbors are concerned that it is a health and safety hazard to those who live there.
“It’s a hazard,” Page said.
Behind the home, the neighbors said, is a nightmare.
“The grass is as tall as the house,” Page said.
These nearby neighbors say they are frustrated and it’s also impacting the kids.
“My grandkids, I couldn’t let them outside to play too much,” Banks said.
They say the unwanted creatures, which they believe came from the pile of trash and home, are now wandering around their homes.
“Ticks and dogs and fleas,” Page said. “It smelled so bad when they first started taking this stuff out.”
Banks said she asked the city for help, but was told they couldn’t do anything about it.
But these neighbors said, considering the hazardous conditions, more should be done.
“They need to come get this quick!” Page said.
“I think [the city] needs to help the community more when it comes to situations like this,” Banks added.