WASHINGTON — Some people living in a Northeast D.C. neighborhood said their residential streets have become a dumping ground for abandoned car.
Residents even said they’ve been complaining to the city -- in some cases for years -- and the problem only seems to be getting worse.
Take a walk near Queen’s Chapel Road and 22nd Street, Northeast, and there are more than half a dozen cars that have tags. Some have even been ticketed, but appear to be abandoned.
In the area of 30th and Bladensburg, another half dozen cars have been dumped.
Neighbors said they’re an eyesore, they’re bringing down property values and they worry the oil and debris left behind is an environmental issue.
Silk Chapman said there are so many cars, it’s hard to find parking at times.
"The people in the neighborhood have complained about these vehicles that are parked in front of these house," Chapman said. "There are the ones that have wheelchairs and walkers, and they cannot go directly to their home. There is a lot of complaints."
Some neighbors think the cars are being dumped by nearby towing companies, who are using the streets as overflow storage. They’ve taken pictures and videos of tow trucks leaving the cars behind.
Residents say they’ve passed these pictures to D.C. authorities, but the problem persists. WUSA9 reached out to ANC commissioner Lauren Rogers, but she didn't respond.
Ward 5 Councillor Kenyan McDuffie said he's shared the frustration of residents. He said a member of his staff was documenting the issues in the area Wednesday morning.
"I continue to push the DC Department of Public Works into action to remove all vehicles eligible to be towed," McDuffie said.