SE Bend man frustrated by accumulation of trash in front of his home; city official explains cleanup process

(Update: Adding video, comments from City of Bend, Bill Bryan)

Much of the trash left behind includes food wrappers, clothing

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Bill Bryan has lived in his home in southeast Bend for the past 25 years. He shared with NewsChannel21 that he's frustrated, trying to deal with an accumulation of trash outside his home on SE Yew Lane, behind Cascades Lodge.

Bryan said he's reported the situation to city officials three times just in the last couple of weeks, and more than 25 times over the last couple of years -- and doesn't know what to do next.

Although crews from Bend's Transportation and Mobility Department cleaned the area again Tuesday morning, Bryan said the issue has been going on for the last two years.

"And the way it’s piling up, I can’t wake up in the morning and see a giant pile of trash in front of my house," Bryan said Tuesday. "I’m just not going to deal with that. I’ve picked up a lot, but recently there’s shopping carts filled, overflowing. Once that’s left on the street, people will just drop by and throw more trash, for some reason.”

In the last two years, Bryan says he’s seen unhoused individuals in tents and campers occupying space near his residence.

"They usually move in, stay awhile - it’s fairly quiet, rarely any damage or theft," Bryan said. "But the real problem is when they move on, there’s a lot of trash left, about 90% of the time. Much of it is hamburger wrappers, paper and clothing."

City of Bend Health and Safety Compliance Coordinator Sherri Meisel said they rely on online reports and calls to clean up locations, typically within a week of the complaint.

"(Yew Lane) was an area that actually, when I first started in September, I was going out there pretty regularly for clean-ups, Meisel said. "Then a resident that was camping there, sheltering in the right of way, had relocated. They had left the area for awhile, so we kept checking for a little bit, and then there was no activity there."

Bryan said, “They do eventually get here -- they must have a long list, because it’s not real timely. Vehicles towed are timely -- the trash is here much longer.”

Bryan shared photos with NewsChannel21 showing carts overflowed with trash, and more trash left behind by campers. The latest piles were cleared out Tuesday morning. Before then, he said he hadn't seen a cleanup in a long time.

Bryan said, “These carts on the streets overflowed with trash. There's cardboard, and there's a lot of debris under the snow, papers and cardboard and stuff. The city came by a few minutes ago and cleaned the carts out. Put the carts on the curb."

Meisel said, "Sometimes I won't get an actual call or report in for several weeks -- and all of a sudden I'll get multiple in one day."

If you are dealing with a similar situation, make sure to call or make an online report to the city's Transportation and Mobility Department.