CAMDEN, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — Camden officials on Monday cut the locks on a nuisance property and took ownership, promising to do something about the massive mound of dirt and junk that has grown there for five years.
Mayor Vic Carstarphen says the city is not going to take it anymore.
“Camden is not a dumping ground,” he declared, moments after he saw the dirt pile at 7th and Chestnut streets up close for the first time. “This situation is simply … unacceptable.”
The mound, now overgrown with grass, weeds and trees, and littered with trash, is taller than the two-story row home next to it. And no one knows what else has been dumped on that property along with the dirt.
“I’ve seen it from different angles. I’ve never been inside of here because it’s always locked,” the mayor said. “This is unimaginable. This is terrible, for someone to do this. It’s terrible for someone to continue doing this and building this and dumping and dumping and dumping until it got to a level like this — which is, environmentally for this neighborhood, it’s terrible. I feel bad for the residents who have been enduring this for so long.”
Carstarphen says it’s going to take a long time to get all the dirt off the site and get the property cleaned up. He says he expects the cleanup process to begin next year and estimates it will likely take at least a year — and $5 million — to get the job done.
Community activist Roy Jones says it has already taken the city too long to act, and he is not happy with that timeline.
“People that have health effects or health problems, they should absolutely be tested. That’s one of the things we’re advocating for,” Jones said.
Jones says there needs to be more investment in that area of the city. And after the site is cleaned up, he added, “What then?”
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