80-year-old fighting city over growing hole in ditch

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- An 80-year-old Houston woman says she's looking at thousands of dollars in repairs for a big hole next to a city street. Her daughter has been taking on her fight, saying it should be the city repairing it -- not an elderly woman on a fixed income.

"As the days and months have passed, this hole is getting larger," Pamela Cassidy said. She says a hole in the drainage ditch outside her mother's home off Dillard Street near Acres Homes is dangerous.

"Kids playing, not paying attention to where they're walking, someone's gonna fall and get hurt," Cassidy said.

Cassidy's mother is 80 and has lived here for decades. Cassidy is taking up the fight for her mother, who can't afford to hire contractors to clean it up.

"Shes on a limited income, does not have the income to pay the thousands of dollars to get this hole fixed. On top of that, it's on the city's side of the street."

That's where the city takes issue. The hole is between the sidewalk and the street. Cassidy says that's the city's right of way, since it's where the water and sewer lines are buried.

But a city spokesperson tells ABC13 even though it's next to the street, since the hole is in the driveway over the culvert, it's not their problem.

"It's been four months now. It's almost a new year and all we have are the little cones out here," Cassidy said.

Public works employees have been out to look at the hole. They put some gravel down and some orange cones around it. A spokesperson said they referred Cassidy's case to a city council liaison and hopes something can be worked out.

In the meantime, Cassidy is watching kids play down her street, right next to the growing hole -- hoping something can be worked out fast.

The city points out that while they do maintain the roadside ditches, their responsibility doesn't include damage to driveways.