SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) - People living in a neighborhood near Baldwin Park say they the city has been failing to keep their streets clean for two years, with the problem becoming worse since the recent storms.
Brandon Morris has lived on E 36th St. for two years, and tells News 3 that every time after it rains, his street and neighborhood become unrecognizable.
"There is built up debris in the area, which you can probably see behind me, and we're having to deal with code compliance, but also trying to get our city officials engaged to help us here due to the flooding issues of the sewers, and so all this debris that you see is not regularly picked up," said Morris.
He says part of the area is private property, and even when the owners are ticketed by code compliance, the mess still does not get cleaned. News 3 is told neighbors are forced to take matters into their own hands and clean up the mess.
"They have had the park ticketed, and it was followed up on for a short time, but if we call, if we try to do anything, they generally fight back, don't ticket them, and don't follow up on them properly," said Morris.
City leaders and code compliance officials met with people in the neighborhood in November after a series of storms made matters worse.
For Morris, though, the results so far have been unsatisfactory.
"They met with us," he said, "They talked a big game and then basically have done really no follow up with us, and also, when we reach out to them, it's very rare, unless we threaten or get upset, that they actually do anything or follow up."
District 2 Alderman Detric Leggett told News 3 in a statement the city is aware of the issue, and has been taking measures to address the problem:
"The city has multiple avenues to address litter and blight. The city, in this particular case, sent out staff to address the flooding issue on that particular block. We are currently monitoring the drainage in that area, and city staff normally have multiple avenues of cleaning and addressing the litter and trash. We have a sweeper system that comes through the neighborhoods at night. We have city staff that make initial cuts and pick up litter in the right of way, and it is up to the residents to maintain the right of way. If it is not addressed and is a continuous nuisance, then the city has Code Enforcement come to the residents and address it with them. If not, it will be a ticket or a court summons to address the issue if it is a nuisance." -Alderman Detric Leggett, District 2