Trash has been piling up in several northeast side neighborhoods for months.
The problem is there are dozens of unincorporated communities like the Camelot II neighborhood. So, even though they’re completely urbanized with major roads and schools nearby, they don't qualify for city services like trash pick up.
Back in May things got so bad, residents turned to the News 4 WOIA Trouble Shooters for help.
Now one state senator and several local leaders are pulling together to find a solution to this growing problem.
Bexar County officials don't have the power to force people living in unincorporated areas to pay for trash pick up. So, if landlords or renters don't make arrangements, the trash trucks just pass them by.
Senator Leticia Van de Putte's father lives near this area. And starting in January she'll inherit some of these northeast neighborhoods due to the redistricting.
"This is a really unhealthy, unsanitary condition,” Senator Van de Putte told us. “And we've got to figure out a way to make sure that trash is picked up. That people do pay and there's a mechanism to do so."
Van de Putte has put together a task force of local leaders. Her ideas include asking landlords to consider attaching trash bills to their monthly rent or getting SAWS or CPS to include trash service on utility bills.
“We just have to make sure that the children that live in that area have a safe place to play. That folks want to come back to that community,” Van de Putte added.
If Senator Van de Putte can't get everyone on board she's also considering legislation that would give urban counties the power to mandate trash pick up. It's an idea that Commissioner Tommy Adkisson has been pushing for years.
"We'll have all the king’s horses and all the king’s men assembled in Austin, ready to march out onto the battle field and get this done again,” Adkisson said.
For now, Commissioner Adkisson confirmed the county is looking to clean up the Camelot II neighborhood again, at cost of more than $50,000.
