Plum residents battle piles of ‘junk’ on neighbors yard, say it’s attracting rats
Neighbors in the Edgemede section of Plum said they have been battling to get piles of what they call junk and garbage strewn across their neighbor's property removed for two years.
Click here for updates on this story
PLUM, Pennsylvania (WTAE) — Neighbors in the Edgemede section of Plum said they have been battling to get piles of what they call junk and garbage strewn across their neighbor’s property removed for two years.
“Rats are living in people’s cars,” said Thomas Marzina.
Marzina’s grandparents live just across from the home, where he said the homeowner regularly brings back more junk, then dumps it on her lawn.
“It’s slowly but surely getting worse,” said neighbor Jeff Matthews.
Neighbors have taken their concerns to Plum Council, and police have cited the homeowner six times with ordinance violations.
“We’re frustrated. We’re kind of hitting a brick wall,” said Plum Mayor Harry Schlegel. “We just can’t go in and take her property. People need to understand that you can’t go in and take someone’s property.”
Schlegel told Pittsburgh Action News 4 that he has been calling agencies looking for help but that he was told that the homeowner has to agree to help, since she is not considered a danger.
Representatives wearing UPMC badges showed up at the home on Wednesday to talk with the older woman, and an employee from the Allegheny County Health Department arrived with a community environment complaint.
Schlegel said the homeowner has lived in the home for approximately 30 years, but things have changed over the past few years.
“She cut the grass inappropriately dressed,” Schlegel said. “She found some paint and decided to paint a neighbor’s siding.”
Schlegel said he is hopeful that the homeowner will accept UPMC’s help, and if so, he said Plum will step in too and help clear the yard.
The Salvation Army said it was aware of the house and would be coming to help out Thursday.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.
