SAN DIEGO — If you drive through the College Area, you might find discarded furniture in piles along the streets. Neighbors say they’ve submitted complaints to the city without much success.
“Couches, lots of couches. I mean, college students love couches,” said Cade Myers, college student.
Myers says he expects to see more as the start of the school year approaches.
Neighbors in the area say it’s an issue that happens every year around the same time — when leases end for students.
One neighbor says, he voiced his complaint on the city’s Get It Done app, but says the city should do more to enforce fines and penalties for illegal dumping.
City councilman Sean Elo-Rivera, represents the College Area.
In a statement Elo-Rivera says:
“Every neighborhood in San Diego deserves to be clean and free of litter. It is unacceptable for anybody to treat neighborhoods like dumps. My office is working with code enforcement and environmental services department to cite those who illegally dump these items and provide waste bins to collect unwanted furniture.”
Elo-Rivera did not provide any specific answers for people who are frustrated with all the trash that is currently on the streets. However, the city councilman did bring up a separate issue that could provide answers to frustrated San Diegans.
The city council is taking steps to potentially repeal a century old ordinance that ensures free trash service to single-family homeowners. Renters and people living in condos currently have to pay.
The council may put a measure on the November ballot, asking San Diegans to repeal the People’s Ordinance law. It would mean an extra bill for many homeowners, but also more revenue for the city.
“If our proposed reforms to this policy are made, the city will be able to provide bulk item pickups and hold mini dorms accountable for excessive waste so college area residents and all San Diego neighborhoods can avoid these types of problems," added Elo-Rivera.
City council will decide later this month whether to put the People’s ordinance on the ballot in November.
To find out more on how you can dispose of furniture or other household items, click here.
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