Houston Public Works argues demolishing buildings will stop illegal dumping. Will it?

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- On Wednesday, Houston City Council tagged an agenda item that sought to use $30 million of flood relief money to demolish buildings they felt were impacting drainage systems.

The controller sent a memo to the council that said it sets the city up for litigation; the city attorney says it's legally up to snuff.

While the legality of the problem was center stage, the council did have another question that came up time and again. Many council members felt the problem the city needs to focus on is illegal dumping and not demolishing buildings.

In an attempt to make a point, Houston Public Works director Randy Macchi showed the city council pictures and videos of a building at the intersection of Semmes and Nobles just north of downtown. The images showed the street choked with trash, culverts littered with trash, and storm drains clogged.

Macchi argued that an abandoned building was attracting illegal dumping, and if the building went, so would the dumping.

"Council members, I'm telling you the root cause of illegal dumping is we have places where we invite people to put it there," Macchi said.

But some council members weren't so convinced.

"Even in places where there is no illegal dumping, or I mean where there is no home, there is illegal dumping," Councilmember Edward Pollard said.

Eyewitness News went to the intersection of Semmes and Nobles to check the location. A neighbor said a building was demolished a few months ago, but it hasn't entirely stopped the dumping or the impact on the drainage systems.

ABC13 found mattresses, filled trash bags, and boxes. It was not as intense as shown in the council presentation, but the dumping was present.

The question of whether using the $30 million for building demolitions is legal still ruled the conversation. With the city attorney backing the proposal, Mayor John Whitmire pushed to see it across the finish line.

"The people I visit with are not going to ask you about which fund, they are going to ask, 'Did you demolish these dangerous buildings that are contributing to our drainage?'" Whitmire said.

Felix Kapor with West Street Recovery, helped settle a lawsuit against the city this year for mismanaging a street and drainage improvement fund. He believes people will care where the money is coming from.

"It wouldn't just be about the money, it would be about the statement that we need collective community input into a lot of these big money decisions. It's not even just about the money but there is a track record of these decisions being made off the whim without there being collective community input," Kapor said.

This item was tagged by the council Wednesday, allowing for more conversation and consideration. It will be back on the agenda in January.

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