A Houston program aimed at cracking down on illegal dumping runs out of money

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The City of Houston said one of its illegal dumping programs is out of money, and the timing couldn't be worse for some neighbors.

Rick Sorola can't help but feel frustrated when he walks around the Tidwell Road and Hardy Toll Road underpass near his north Houston home.

"This looks like a third-world dumping site," Sorola said. "I mean, there's tires, there's mattresses, broken bottles everywhere."

An issue the city focused on nearly three years ago when it launched a One Clean Houston program. An initiative officials say was aimed at cleaning debris, prevention, and increased enforcement. They say the program was funded by federal dollars that have expired.

Mayor John Whitmire's spokesperson, Mary Benton, said the city's other illegal dumping programs are not out of money, but did not give specifics. She did point ABC13 to previous reporting on the city spending $2 million to have a private contractor pick up heavy trash.

In fact, with more inspectors and cameras, the mayor's office said it went from about 240 illegal dumping inspections a year to 550.

However, when Eyewitness News went to the One Clean Houston website on Tuesday, the ABC13 team noticed parts of it weren't working, including a dumping tracker.

ABC13 asked the mayor's office why, learning that the program used federal dollars that dried up this month.

A spokesperson said combating illegal dumping is a high priority of his and added it takes the cooperation of residents and businesses.

It also helps with more inspectors and technology. The mayor's office said $1.64 million of the program went to six inspectors and 120 cameras.

The inspectors started two years ago, but the cameras, they said, weren't installed until last summer due to supply chain and procurement delays.

The city used the cameras for about eight months, but now needs about $700,000 a year for the increased enforcement. The mayor's office said it's trying to find grants for funding this.

"I understand Houston is a big city," Sorola said. "Like I said, if it was a month or two months, maybe I'd understand, but we're going on a year now."

Sorola said he doesn't need cameras to show officials the trash. He's contacted 311 himself.

A spokesperson said an inspector visited nearly a month ago, took photos, and the case remains open.

"I have no doubt that if this were River Oaks, or Garden Oaks, or the Heights, this would be cleaned up in two days, six days," Sorola said. "This has been over six months, and it's just accumulating."

Sorola isn't the only one contacting 311 about illegal dumping. 311 data shows that over the last 12 months, more than 8,200 illegal dumping service calls were made.

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