BUFFALO, NY (WKBW) — A couple who lives on Jefferson Avenue in Buffalo reached out to 7 News to talk about an issue they say affects their quality of life. They say a vacant building near their home is now a hot spot for illegal dumping. 7 News Senior Reporter Eileen Buckley let them have their voices heard.
“They just come here like this is the place to come to dump it,” declared Leroy Love, resident & business owner.
For 30 years Leroy Love has operated Mr. Love & Sons Barber Shop on Jefferson Avenue on the city’s east side. He owns the building and lives above his business.
Love and his wife, Veronica, say they're struggling with illegal dumping happening near their home and business behind a vacant building on Jefferson Avenue.
“It's just a constant. As soon as they pick it up, somebody comes back and they dump it again,” remarked Veronica Love.
“And I’m always getting flat tires because I park over on that parking lot,” described Leroy Love.
The Loves tell me the city has come repeatedly to remove the trash, but it is not stopping the illegal dumping.
They even shared this photo showing how the dumping was happening in the middle of the night.
“We don't want no more dumping. And if we could just get these abandoned buildings and get them going, and operational — it makes it much better,” Veronica Love said. “It’s an eyesore.”
“We have cameras up and down Jefferson and if we're able to get the information when it happens it helps us catch these criminals and let me say they're criminals,” responded Darius Pridgen, president, Buffalo Common Council.
Outgoing Buffalo Common Darius Pridgen says anyone who can report illegal dumping could receive a reward of more than $1,000 and those caught will be fined a maximum of $1,500.
Pridgen calls it a community problem and it is going to talk to the community to help solve it by helping the city track down the violators.
“We have several hotspots around the city, especially on the east side where people feel comfortable doing it because they feel like nobody is going to turn them in,” Pridgen described. “One of the persons that was caught was not a city resident. It was a person who owned property in the city and just found a place to dump and felt like they could get away with it.”
But the couple says since last year's horrific mass shooting at the Tops store just blocks away, they're fearing attention to their community is disappearing.
“The city got to put some money in this area all the way from the Tops, I thought that would trigger them to get started,” Leroy Love noted.
But the barber shop owner tells me the trash continues to build up back here because there's a bigger problem – a lack of concern in this community.
“What would your message be to city leaders?” Buckley asked. “Let's get all on the east side. Let’s do something over here,” replied Leroy Love.
But Pridgen tells me plans are in the works for new infrastructure on Jefferson Avenue and blames the owner of the vacant building for not paying attention to his property.
“But let's put the line in the sand. What about the people who own the building — is not surveilling their building or keeping it secure,” Pridgen commented.
I also reached out to Buffalo Mayor Brown’s office for a response. Brown’s spokesman Michael DeGeorge.
“There are many street improvements coming. The city works with the community to apprehend illegal dumpers. Illegal dumping is a criminal act that diminishes the quality of life and costs the community precious dollars.”
Michael DeGeorge
DeGeorge also noted the city writes approximately 20 illegal dumping summons a year.
