HOUSTON – As part of KPRC 2′s commitment to fighting for residents and holding Houston City Leaders accountable, we’ve returned to another part of the city to help another neighborhood.
On Monday, our Rilwan Balogun was able to mobilize city resources to clean up an illegal dumping site in Houston’s South Park neighborhood in just a few hours. This was after residents had been battling the eyesore for months and reached out to the city through 311, but had seen little to no action until KPRC 2 intervened.
The site, located at a former Family Dollar on Airport Boulevard and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, had become a dumping ground for a variety of waste, including furniture, construction materials, and other debris. Homeowners, led by Travis McGee, president of the South Park Super Neighborhood, expressed frustration over the ongoing issue.
Within hours, the site was finally cleaned and the neighborhood’s issue was resolved.
FOLLOW-UP: City cleans dumping site in South Park neighborhood after KPRC 2 steps in
A viewer who lives in the Hill Park Place neighborhood in southeast Houston saw this report, reached out to Balogun, and asked for him to step in to assist.
One resident said her garbage pile has been growing on the corner of Hall Ranch Court for months. Earlier in the year, city officials helped clear some of the trash, but it has since returned and grown in the last three months.
Some residents also have said they’ve put in 311 requests and were told the matters have been resolved when they haven’t.
One homeowner even told us heavy trash pick-up hadn’t arrived in months, leading them to keep trash in the garage.
Council Member Joaquin Martinez tells KPRC 2 he’s aware of the ongoing problem.
“Solid waste is definitely backlog and behind,” Council Member Joaquin Martinez said in a phone interview with KPRC 2. “I appreciate you bringing highlight to it. It’s personnel [and] equipment to get to these locations. Unfortunately, it all costs money. What we’re doing and what we help out with is zeroing in on those missed pickups. At the end of the day, it’s a structural challenge we have in the department.”
Solid Waste Management released the following statement in response to the ongoing issue:
The Solid Waste Management Department provides residents with curbside disposal for both Tree Waste and Bulk Waste. Tree Waste is collected during odd-numbered months, while Bulk Waste is collected during even-numbered months. The area in question was last serviced during the scheduled odd month on Wednesday, August 28. The next scheduled collection is during the fourth week of October. Due to current delays, we are running approximately five days behind and anticipate servicing the area on Tuesday, October 29. We also encourage all Houstonians who receive City services for garbage, recycling, or curbside collection to download the HTX Collects app. This is the best place to get service schedules, alerts, and drop-off locations — another great resource for Houston residents who want to bring their own items for disposal.
