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UPDATE: TUESDAY 02/28/2023

The trash cleanup has still not taken place.

As reported below there was someone cleaning up a small portion of the trash but that work has stopped.

We will continue to follow this story.

UPDATE: THURSDAY 02/23/23

After KFOR’s original story on a local daycare being tired of having trash piled up next to it, the mess is being cleaned-up.

According to daycare officials some of the trash has been removed from the surrounding area.

There is still a lot of debris since the complex is large.

KFOR will continue to follow the clean-up efforts.

Cleanup begins near daycare and apartment complex. Image courtesy Chrysta Koskei.

ORIGINAL STORY

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – A southwest Oklahoma City daycare is fed up with its next-door neighbors after mounds of trash piled up around the Creekside Apartments.

“When you go to our playground, you just see mounds of trash and it’s horrible smells,” said Chrysta Koskei, the assistant director of Little Lynne’s Academy.

Koskei said the garbage surrounding The Creekside Apartments, near Southwest 59th and Agnew, is owned by Capital Homes Investment LLC, based out of California. The apartment complex is currently going through foreclosure.

Many still live at Creekside rent free and without utilities.

Democratic Representative, Mickey Dollens, has been advocating for his constituents at the troubled property for nearly a year.

News 4 has covered issues such as air conditioning issues, horrific plumbing problems, and the city deeming some units unsafe.

“Many of the constituents don’t have any other choice in this day of inflation, and as high as rents can be in other apartment complexes, it’s just not financially possible,” said Dollens.

Koskei said trash pick up services stopped coming by months ago, so people started burning the trash.

“The dumpsters got removed maybe two to three weeks ago because of the fires. The city doesn’t come out to dump the trash. So I don’t know who does it, but they come and set the trash on fire,” said Koskei.

Koskei said one fire in November damaged their playground equipment. Now, trash is building up where the kids play.

“I want them to have a better environment, to be able to play in, to explore and have memorable good memories of playing outside, not those smells and not seeing that trash,” said Koskei.

Apartment owner, Jose Belman, said the problem with their trash account has been fixed. New bins should arrive Friday.

“The trash should really be completed no longer than Thursday just because of the amount,” said Belman.

Meanwhile Dollens said there’s hope.

“There’s investors who rehabilitate places like Creekside Apartments and put and give tenants the opportunity toward financial literacy and toward job training to help them not only stay in their apartment, but be there for the long term,” said Dollens.

Dollens also said this is why lawmakers not only need to focus on affordable house, but also habitable housing.

The city tells KFOR Belman owes the city $55,000 in liens from unpaid fines. He also owes the county three years of unpaid property taxes.