Residents of a Bronx public housing complex say they have been stuck living next to a mountain of other people's garbage for the better part of a year, turning what used to be their parking lot into a foul-smelling, rat-infested waste yard. The tenants at Clason Point Gardens, in the Soundview section of the Bronx, describe the situation as disgusting and say it has become both a nuisance and a hazard.
According to the residents, NYCHA has used the lot at their complex for the last 11 months to store the garbage of other developments. They say they were told the arrangement would be temporary, lasting only about three months, but that promise came and went. That was some eight months ago, and the trash, they say, is still there.
The pileup has brought unwelcome company. Tenants say the waste yard has drawn rats, roaches and other animals, along with unwanted people who come at night to pick through the bins. What began as a storage issue has grown into a daily quality-of-life problem for the families who live around the lot and have to pass it every day.
The situation turned worse than a smell last week. Residents say the garbage bins were surrounded by fencing held down by sandbags, and that the now-ripped sandbags clogged a storm drain. The blockage caused a major flood, with water running into one resident's yard and kitchen, forcing tenants to pull on boots and dig so the water could drain away.
Tenants say they are now demanding answers from management and simply want a clean, usable space back. They describe an ongoing frustration with how long the waste yard has stayed, and the sense that a fix meant to last a season has instead dragged on and left them to deal with the consequences on their own doorsteps.
In response, NYCHA said a waste yard at Monroe Houses, a neighboring development, is currently undergoing modernization, which is why there is a temporary waste yard at Clason Point. The housing authority said it has provided additional rear loader collection service to the temporary yard and that it will continue to monitor the area for cleanliness.