MILWAUKEE — When Kathy Hovland’s neighbor called to tell her someone had dumped tires on her property, the 80-year-old Milwaukee homeowner thought it might be a few.
Instead, she walked outside to find more than 30 tires scattered near her garage and across her property off Fond du Lac Avenue on the city’s northwest side.
“I've been worried about it all night,” Hovland said. “Couldn't sleep, kept waking up thinking about it, and I mean, I know it's not the end of the world, but it's still very aggravating.”
Hovland said the dumping happened sometime Wednesday during the day. She believes whoever did it targeted the property because of its open lots, despite the area being maintained.
Over the years, she said people have dumped mattresses, couches and even a piano on the property.
“It’s frustrating,” Hovland said. “You just wonder what somebody's thinking that they don't care about other people and they just want to put their mess on you.”
She said this latest incident may be the largest dumping situation she has experienced in decades of living there.
“I just feel a little overwhelmed because of the size of it,” Hovland said.
In Milwaukee, illegal dumping on private property generally becomes the responsibility of the property owner to clean up.
Hovland said she became concerned after initially struggling to figure out who to call and whether she could end up financially responsible for removing the tires.
After TMJ4 contacted community groups and city officials, volunteers stepped in to help remove the tires from the property Thursday afternoon.
Milwaukee Department of Neighborhood Services spokesperson Jeremy McGovern said homeowners dealing with illegal dumping should document the mess immediately by taking photos and checking nearby surveillance cameras before moving anything.
Residents can report illegal dumping through Milwaukee.gov/dumping, by calling 414-286-CITY (2489) or by contacting DNS directly. The city encourages people to submit surveillance footage, vehicle descriptions and license plate information whenever possible.
“If we become aware of it, they can always call the city,” McGovern said. “There are some groups out there that help volunteer, particularly with senior citizens who have been longtime homeowners.”
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McGovern said the city can also help connect residents with volunteer groups and discuss possible cleanup extensions if needed.
“We definitely don’t want to do that,” McGovern said of concerns about homeowners being penalized while trying to handle dumping situations. “We’ll work through the alderman’s office. We’ll find different solutions to try to help where we can.”
The city also offers rewards of up to $1,000 for tips leading to citations.
McGovern said Milwaukee continues working to address illegal dumping through enforcement efforts and a growing camera pilot program launched earlier this year.
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“We usually find these one-off sites are very hit or miss,” McGovern said. “But the ones where we see repetitive dumping, that’s where we usually target and usually catch people fairly quickly.”
McGovern said dumping sites often attract repeat offenders.
“Dumping tends to invite more dumping from different offenders,” he said.
The pilot program works with neighborhood associations and nonprofit groups to place surveillance cameras in areas frequently targeted by illegal dumpers. McGovern said the city currently has about 20 cameras deployed and hopes to eventually expand to roughly 100. One day, he said, it could come to places like Kathy's.
He said repeat dumping areas, alleys and vacant lots are often prioritized.
Hovland said she hopes whoever dumped the tires thinks twice before doing it again.
“You can’t just give your mess to somebody else,” she said. “It’s just so immoral.”
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