Trinity Gardens, Fifth Ward residents speak out after DOJ ends monitoring of illegal dumping

HOUSTON - Residents in two predominantly Black and Brown communities say they are frustrated and disappointed after learning the U.S. Department of Justice has ended its oversight connected to illegal dumping in Houston.

Trinity Gardens residents are concerned after federal oversight ends monitoring illegal dumping

The monitoring, which began in 2022 after a civil rights complaint, focused heavily on neighborhoods like Trinity/Houston Gardens where residents say trash piles, debris, and hazardous waste have remained an everyday reality.

Now that federal oversight has ended, neighbors fear cleanup efforts could slide backward — and they’re demanding answers.

Residents in Trinity/Houston Gardens told FOX 26 they were shocked to hear federal monitoring had quietly ended, especially after spending years building the initial case that brought the DOJ in.

What they're saying:

"We’ve got to figure a way around this as a community," one resident told FOX 26. 

Community leaders say dumping has been a long-standing problem.

Huey German-Wilson, president of Super Neighborhood 48, said many neighbors felt blindsided.

"It’s terribly disappointing," she said. "When we filed that complaint, we never dreamed the DOJ would take it."

German-Wilson says residents spent three years gathering information before submitting the 52-page civil rights complaint, only the second Title VI complaint of its kind nationally.

Now that the DOJ has stepped away, she says the community has to fight again.

"If we’re ready to pick this fight up again, I just hope my community is ready to pick it up with me."

Residents also told FOX 26 that some dumping sites contain hazardous materials they cannot remove on their own.

"Sometimes we have to call the environmental arms of the city or county to deal with this — because we can’t touch it," German-Wilson said.

Neighbors say it’s not just about trash — it’s about dignity, safety, and health.

"This happens across Black and Brown communities," she said. "Our seniors live here. Our children walk past this on the way to the bus stop. It’s egregious. This is not a third-world country."

The other side:

FOX 26 reached out to the City for comment.

In a statement, the City said : "The City of Houston is disappointed the DOJ withdrew the agreement. Tackling illegal dumping is one of Mayor Whitmire’s priorities and a major concern. It is a difficult problem to solve because businesses and some residents take advantage of neighborhoods by disposing of waste instead of taking it to proper sites."

German-Wilson says the next step is to document the problem again, bring it back to the City, and push for lasting solutions.

Fifth Ward says dumping burden falls on residents and nonprofits

Trinity Gardens isn’t the only community impacted by the loss of federal oversight.

FOX 26 also heard from community members in the Fifth Ward, who say their neighborhood faces many of the same issues — and that the cost of cleanup falls on residents and nonprofits.

Kathy Payton, CEO of the Fifth Ward Community Redevelopment Corporation, told FOX 26 that illegal dumping drains resources every month.

"We spend thousands of dollars a month paying someone to pick up trash on lots we own," Payton said. 

She says dumping creates health and safety hazards, and forces hardworking residents and organizations to pay for problems they didn’t create.

"It forces citizens, organizations, and businesses to pay for removal," she said.

Payton says the struggle is compounded by limited pickup services.

"It’s already a challenge," she said. "The city only picks up trash once a week in our neighborhood." 

What's next:

The city outlines steps it plans to take

In response to questions from FOX 26, the City outlined several efforts underway to fight illegal dumping, including:

• Contracted cleanup teams in Fifth Ward
• HPD is cracking down more aggressively on repeat offenders.
• Increased use of video surveillance in dumping hotspots
• A new heavy trash contractor scheduled to sweep areas of the city twice within the next month.

Residents in both communities say the City’s plan is a start — but without federal oversight, they fear accountability could fade.

Both Trinity Gardens and Fifth Ward say they’re prepared to continue pushing the City to protect their neighborhoods — with or without federal involvement.

FOX 26 will continue to follow this developing story, including how the City of Houston plans to strengthen cleanup efforts and whether additional federal or state support could be restored.

 If you live in an area impacted by illegal dumping, send your photos, video, or tips to FOX 26 at newstips@fox26houston.com.

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