Illegal dumping site continues to grow in Sunnyside, even after neighbors made complaints to 311

Tuesday, November 29, 2022
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- An investigation is underway after frustrated neighbors said they have been filing complaints for months about a pile of debris continuing to grow along a Sunnyside street.

The furniture, carpet, shoes, old phones, mounds of trash, and food are starting to stink and attract flies.
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"People just started coming by here and throwing couches out and tires," longtime, nearby resident Terence Jefferson recalled.

Jefferson said he has witnessed people dumping trash along the 4600 block of Larkspur Street.

"(Monday), a guy had a trash can coming from whatever street he was on and came rolling right here and just dump it in the trash. (He said) 'Oh Mr. Jefferson, it's OK. It's OK.' No it's not!," Jefferson said.

He reported the issue with Houston's 311 and so did three other neighbors between September and October.



The cases were assigned to the Houston Solid Waste Department and the Houston Department of Neighborhoods.
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An online search shows they all remain open; at least two of them are past due on the estimated service timeline.

"They gave me case numbers, and they gave me everything, then say someone will call you, and then they'll come out and investigate. But ain't no one come out yet," Jefferson said.

ABC13 reached out to the city departments.

The HDN said they have issued a warning, and the HSWD said they are still investigating the matter.

Jefferson wonders why this south Houston street is not getting the city's attention faster.
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"They do other neighborhoods, they can clean theirs up but then they don't do this one," Jefferson said.

For more on this story, follow Shelley Childers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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