South Memphis Residents Want City to Clean Alleys

(Memphis) It`s not a jungle, or a forest or a nature preserve but it looks like one.

 “At one time they were used for garbage pick-up,” said Claude Elliot of the Longview Heights Neighborhood Watch.

It’s an alley way, a place meant for walking or driving.

Instead, people who live in Longview Heights say the alleys are escape routes for burglars.

 “See a thief knows where all the getaway points are,” said Elliot.

Elliott says thieves routinely break into houses and then easily getaway by hiding the in the brush, “You can conceal yourself in tall grass.”

Police say they can`t effectively patrol the area because they can`t chase the bad guys down the alleys because of the overgrowth and the debris makes the alleys a driving hazard.

 “So who is responsible?” asked Reporter Sabrina Hall.

 “The City, as a taxpayer the City is responsible for keeping the alley ways clear,” said Elliott.

He says members of the neighborhood watch have called the City many times and still they are living near whatever lurks in tall grass.

We talked to the manager of City Code Enforcement and he says those alley ways will be tackled soon.

He said the City is cleaning up blight according to the mayor’s plan, which is to tackle 25 blocks at a time.