The organizer of the Spring Garden Neighborhood Council has invited Pittsburgh City Council members and representatives of about 30 neighborhood councils to a 1 p.m. meeting Monday in the council's chambers. The city hasn't dedicated a whole lot to it. Now, when a contractor dumps trash on a vacant lot, it just stays there. Klinger hopes the neighborhoods can form a coalition to work on cleanups. He said vacant lots scattered across the city become dumping places for trash.
Weeds grow, and the lots become breeding places for rats and mice.
Cleaning up the lots isn't always easy. The city can clean up its own properties, but must take action against the owners of other lots in order to improve them. The city owns 9,886 vacant properties, according to city Finance Director Paul Hennigan. The work typically involves removing trash and debris and mowing weeds and high grass. He urges neighbors to get the license numbers of trucks they see dumping on private lots, and report them to the building inspection department.