HOUSTON – Months-old debris piles in southwest Houston are finally being cleared after residents complained that vegetation, trash and storm remnants sat untouched since late summer.
On Fondren near Hiawatha Drive, neighbors say large mounds of cut trees and limbs have been stacked along the street since August. In another neighborhood near Amir Street and Alief Village, people reported trash and heavy debris lingering in front of multiple homes since October or earlier.
Trash piles on Amir Street in Southwest Houston. Residents have requested pickups for months.Â
A spokesperson for Mayor John Whitmire confirmed Wednesday that the city has begun clearing the backlog and is adding about $2 million to its existing debris-removal contract with AshBritt. The company removed roughly 1 million cubic yards of debris after the recent derecho and 1.2 million cubic yards following Hurricane Beryl.
City officials say crews are starting pickup efforts in southwest Houston and will move north, supplementing the work of the 27 heavy-trash teams currently operating under Solid Waste Director Sandra Hassen.
A spokesperson for Mayor John Whitmire confirmed Wednesday that the city has begun clearing the backlog and is adding about $2 million to its existing debris-removal contract with AshBritt. The company removed roughly 1 million cubic yards of debris
Houston leaders say they expect the expanded effort to speed up response times and reduce the hundreds of pending pickup requests still on the city’s list. Residents who need debris or heavy trash removed are encouraged to contact the city’s 3-1-1 service to submit a request or check the status of an existing one.
The Source: FOX 26 gathered information from City of Houston and residents in Southwest Houston.Â