South Bend Code Enforcement battles trash buildup

SOUTH BEND, Ind. –

Multiple neighborhoods across South Bend are experiencing piling up of trash from illegal dumping and littering.

“It’s city wide it really is, and it seems to be prevalent in the alleys,” said Jim Wood, Chief Inspector with South Bend Code Enforcement.

Wood says the spike in garbage is common for this type of year. He says the department can get up to 90 calls a day for trash complaints.

“It does become a problem that affects the whole neighborhood,” he said. “We’ve got dogs, birds, breaking holes in the trash. Next thing you know it’s blowing all over the neighborhood.”

He encourages neighbors to call 311 to report any trash nuisance.

“Working together is a solution,” he said. “We can’t do this all by ourselves.”

For neighbors like Sheree LaPorte, who lives near Leeper Park, calling to report trash isn’t enough.

“I consider this my back yard,” said LaPorte. “My kids grew up playing in this park, my grandkids played in this park so it is very personal to me that it stays nice.”

She walks along Leeper Park daily and says every day she picks up at least three pieces of trash.

“It’s the easiest thing in the world you can do,” she said. “I always encounter three pieces of trash. If everyone just picked up three pieces of trash it would make a big difference throughout the city.”