A California developer must clean a Houston lot overrun with weeds and pests by July 18, following a city violation notice.
HOUSTON — Weeds reaching five to six feet tall cover an empty lot in a neighborhood north of downtown Houston. The eyesore is flanked by family homes. But months after calling 311, help may be on the way for the community.
There’s a lot of growth happening in this near northside community. But this isn’t the kind Jessica Uresti hoped to see after the dilapidated home next to her property near Quitman and Elysian streets was bulldozed.
“So now the lot is completely overgrown and they’re just not maintaining it,” Uresti said.
And she says the problem has taken root, and it’s not letting up.
In addition to Mother Nature doing what it does, human nature has had a go as well with people dumping junk, leaving this ditch clogged.
“They just dumped carpet all kinds of things. It’s halfway picked up now, but a lot of the time they just come by like you said, and see it as a dumping ground.”
The weeds are between five and six feet tall. Residents say it only took a few months to get like this. So, there’s growing concern about what this will look like in a few more months.
“I mean, this could be a forest. Yeah a forest.”
“I just hope that they take responsibility for their ownership,” Uresti said. “I don’t think it’s that difficult to maintain a property that you own.”
And it’s not just an eyesore. Neighbors say possums and other critters have moved in. And the clogged ditches have become a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
KHOU 11 learned through property records that the lot now belongs to a California-based home developer.
We’ve reached out, asking what they plan to do about the overgrown mess.
KHOU 11 reached out to the city of Houston, and just hours after hearing our questions sent a supervisor to evaluate the property. Ultimately the supervisor issued violation notices. They give the property owners until July 18 to clean and cut the lot, or face further action.
A solution these neighbors have been waiting for.
“It’s a working class neighborhood and they just think that they can ignore it.”