South 3rd Neighborhood Demands Cleanup

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - One Memphis woman says she's fed up with overgrown weeds at the house next to hers. She's says it's more than an eyesore, it's become a hazard and something needs to be done immediately.

If you drive down South 3rd just past South Parkway and look to your left, all you'll see is weeds.

"It ain't safe at all, anybody look at it will tell you it ain't safe," said neighbor Robert Denton.

Residents of the area say at least 2 separate abandoned lots have been overgrown with weeds grass and brush for years.

"You can't see at night, you can't see nothing," said Denton. "Anybody could be up in that cut, hiding in that cut."

They say the blighted areas have become a haven for snakes, rats and deals to go down.

Grass is so high in these lots, much of it is taller than the residents who live near it.

Neighbors say that over the months, calls to the Mayor's Action Line have been ignored.

"Nothing's been done, they keep giving me the run around," said neighbor Billie Anthony.

"I called and complained it's been going on, it's been about 2 years it's been going on," said Denton.

Feeling that no one was listening to their complaints for action, neighbors in this South Third neighborhood called FOX13 for help.

The first call was to Michael Todd and Kim Yarbrough with the city of Memphis Division of Community Enhancement. While already working on countless other projects across the city, they arrived at almost a moment's notice to survey the lots, take notes and shoot pictures.

"We'll go back into the office and research these lots to find out who the owners are," said Yarbrough. "Action will be taken, absolutely action will be taken and it will be handled."

FOX13 offers a 'hats off' to the City of Memphis Division of Community Enhancement for taking action. After our report, one of the properties they looked at will be cut immediately and the city is now looking to put a lien on that property. One of the other lots we discovered is owned by Shelby County. The City of Memphis will now contact the county and wait for them to respond.