LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — As Little Rock prepares to kick off its annual city wide clean up this weekend, homeowners in the Central High Historic Neighborhood said they're having trouble keeping their neighborhood beautiful.
On Thursday, March 7, 11 listened to their concerns and works to find a solution.
"I love the neighborhood," Bobby Matthews said. "All the historical houses its really what drew us here."
Matthews takes pride in his neighborhood, located just two blocks from Central High School. So, when he noticed this couch sitting at the corner of 15th and Schiller for several months he grew concerned.
"After they visit the school, I'm sure they drive around the neighborhood and that's just not the impression we want to give them," Matthews said.
Matthews said he and other neighbors have gotten rid of smaller items before, but it's the bulky furniture that's become a nuisance. This couch, along with many other items have been dropped off on the corner behind the Senior Hi Apartments, which Matthews claims is only occupied by the property owner.
"It's my neighbors backyard," Matthews said, "and I mean obviously he doesn't want it back there too i know he's not wanting people to drop it there."
But it's not the only problematic corner.
"We had another one, a couch placed on the corner of Centennial Park that one is a vacant property, so I think that's why that one got taken care of so quickly," Matthews said.
He said he used the city's 311 line to report this couch, but to no avail.
"They put a note on there saying it's not a violation but it's obviously a nuisance to the neighborhood," Matthews said.
We reached out to the city for a response and were told the property owner has a commercial pickup service, so he isn't a solid waste customer, which means the city isn't responsible for picking up the trash.
However, they did make an exception this time. THV11 returned the next day and the couch was gone.
"I'm really appreciative of it at this point," Matthews said. "I just want to know what can we do better so that it doesn't pass a couple of months just sitting there."