MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Homes and parking lots turned into landfills. Garbage is piling up at multiple locations in North Memphis, and people who live in the area are concerned and frustrated.
We were there as city code enforcement made their rounds, tagging the properties, but will it make a difference?
Several yards throughout North Memphis were filed with trash. Additionally, bags and boxes of garbage were in the front of many vacant homes.
There were at least five on Dexter Street in North Memphis.
People in the area report the dumping has been going on for years. On his way to pick up children from school on Tuesday, Early, who lives in the area, said he hates the fact they’re constantly exposed to the mess.
“It’s not good for them,” Early said.
Early says he doesn’t know who’s responsible. Dexter Street isn’t the only spot with the trash troubles, just a few minutes up the road on Jackson we found trash dumped on the side of the road.
Patricia Rogers, a community leader, has been pushing for a clean-up of the area.
“This is raw garbage, and it poses a health concern for this community. North Memphis is an underserved community,” Rogers said.
Rogers has taken her concerns to city leaders as well as Tennessee State Representative Larry Miller, who recently sent a letter to Mayor Strickland about the problems.
Miller said he’s been in contact with the mayor’s team about violation orders sent to the home owners.
We sent the city pictures too and were there on Tuesday as code enforcement tagged the multiple properties. The notice from the city says the property owner has five days from today to get rid of all the garbage.
“It doesn’t get cleaned up right away. It’s gotta go through all the bureaucracy with environmental court, notifying the owner,” Rogers said.
The city also sent us a list of the cited properties and their violations saying they expected them to be cleaned up this week and the owners to be billed.
