MEMPHIS, Tenn. — While the court hearings drag on regarding the future of Aretha Franklin’s birth home people living in the neighborhood say South Memphis desperately needs a makeover.
As plans are being made to fix up Franklin’s birth home people living in the neighborhood are hoping the blight moves out as well
For David Turner, it still feels as if everyone has forgotten about South Memphis where he lives.
“I see more empty and boarded houses in South Memphis than I do regular houses people live in,” Turner said.
The problem is as all the extra visitors stop by the trash from dumping keeps stacking up.
Patricia Rogers a city activist says the rising dumping is frustrating.
“South Memphis should have been beautified we shouldn’t have to focus on the birthplace of Aretha to do that but since that’s the case let’s get this done,” Rogers said.
Loveseats tossed out onto corners and vacant homes on each block. The city says they know it’s not easy on the eyes right now but they’ve already started tagging the piles of garbage.
“I understand there is a process but we don’t want it to exceed that number of days,” Rogers said.
The city says that won’t happen. After 5 days they’ll step in.
This week they claim they’ve been placing special emphasis on the area to try to clean it up.
“Not just Lucy Street. South Memphis period South Memphis needs work,” Rogers said.
In order to see it through, they say they don’t mind being apart of the change. Homeowners like Vera house want to see.
“It’s not only up to the city it is up to us too,” House said.
In regards to the Lucy Avenue home where Aretha Franklin was born. A judge wants a plan put together to fix up the home. That plan has to be ready to go in 45 days.
WREG will update you on the home and the cleanup efforts in the neighborhood as they progress.
