MESA, AZ — Neighbors in Mesa are reaching out to ABC15 about what they call a community eyesore. They say they’ve been fighting the last three years to get the problem property cleaned. Police says they’ve been to the mobile home more than a dozen times.
Broken TVs, junk-filled shopping carts, over-flowing garbage cans and non-working cars are just some of the things concerning Vicki Muth.
"I have tried to get the cops, fire department, City of Mesa and everything,” said Muth.
She and her Alpine Avenue neighbors call it an eyesore and a danger.
"There are dozens of people coming and going, vehicles coming and going. They don't live there. There is an old lady who lives there. We are concerned for her,” said Jennifer Jackson.
Neighbors tell ABC15 they've called police more times in the last three years than they can count.
"Something is not okay here. This is not okay here. This is unhealthy and unsafe. There are elderly on this street. There are children on this street,” added Jackson.
Police confirm more than a dozen visits to the address responding to things like theft and city code violations with one call even resulting in a felony warrant being issued. Police say the most recent visit was Wednesday.
But, neighbors say the mess remains.
ABC15 spoke with Doug Small. He says he lives in the mobile home with the elderly woman who owns it. He has a different explanation.
"It's next door. It is the field next door. There is an empty lot next door. It's been a nuisance ever since the place burned down. There was some people living in it,” said Small.
Neighbors say people are living in cars and even tents on the woman's property.
"Those cars are all sealed up. These are just cars getting repaired. These are all my cars right here,” added Small.
ABC15 took action and got answers from Mesa police. A police spokesman tells us a community liaison officer will work to get some of the people staying on the property removed through an injunction.
Police also say they're planning a community cleanup allowing neighbors to pitch in to clean up the junk.
