Sioux Falls Health Department steps in over mounding garbage at apartment complex

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - Regardless of income, everyone deserves to have a respectable place to live.

So when the garbage started piling up at a Sioux Falls complex, followed by a Sunday night dumpster fire, the residents took action.

City Counselor Pat Starr went for a drive Sunday to check out some concerns.

“A constituent reached out to me because they weren’t getting a good response from the management company,” Starr said. “They didn’t know who to contact.”

The growing mound of garbage greets tenants each day. According to residents, it’s been weeks since the garbage has been picked up.

“The problem really starts with tenants putting things in the trash area that isn’t going to be covered by the hauler,” said Starr.

The tenants who do follow their rules still face the huge pile.

“This is disgusting,” said a resident of Stony Hill Apartments. “Why don’t you pick up the garbage? Everything’s flying around.”

“People I talked to — the neighbors — say it’s never been this bad,” said resident Steven Siano.

Siano finds it more than an eyesore.

“I don’t want to smell it either, so I avoid it when I go to my front door. He says we’re working on it,” said Siano.

The city’s health department is now stepping in.

“Basically, it just has to be cleaned up,” said Starr.

The company says it will make improvements and invite Dakota News Now cameras back to show the updates in the future.

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