Volunteers install fencing at a vacant lot on Evergreen St. on Oct. 28. Photo courtesy of Jay Domenico.
Are new seeds and fence posts the solution to Harrisburg’s illegal dumping problem?
That’s the hunch of a group of homeowners in Allison Hill, who recently rehabbed parcels of vacant land on Hummel Street and Evergreen Street with durable fencing and low-mow grass.
According to project leaders, the improvements were designed to keep trash at bay, and could become a model for how community members address the problem of vacant lots.
Julie Walter, neighborhood revitalization coordinator at the Tri-County Community Action (TCCA), said that the project marks the pilot phase of a community initiative called Reseed and Transform, which is part of TCCA’s comprehensive community plan for Allison Hill.
Walter estimated that there are close to 280 vacant lots within the same half-square-mile as the Hummel Street lots. Many of them languish as overgrown eyesores and crime magnets.
The 13,000-square-foot lot on Hummel Street became haven for illegal trash dumping after houses there were condemned and demolished, Walter said. The parcel on Evergreen St. suffered the same fate on an adjacent block.
TCCA worked with the South Allison Hill Homeowners and Residents Association (SAHHRA) to finance and execute its renovation. TCCA obtained $5,825 in grants from the AARP and donated $1,800 from its own funds. Construction company Michels Corp. donated $4,200 worth of service and materials.
Over the course of two eight-hour workdays on Oct. 13 and 28, more than 15 volunteers cleared the lot of trash and weeds, spread topsoil, planted grass and installed reinforced PVC fencing. The two parcels they transformed represent a total of eight vacant lots.
Now, the finished lots are neat, open spaces with shade trees, full grass coverage and, most importantly, minimal litter. Jeremy “Jay” Domenico, vice president of SAHHRA, said it was designed to stay that way without too much upkeep from residents.
The finished lot on the corner of Hummel and Reese Streets.
The sturdy PVC fencing encircling the lots prevents people from parking and unloading trash, which drastically reduces how much they can dump, Domenico said. Walter added that the low-mow grass reduces the burden of landscaping.
When the grass reaches maturity in the spring, TCCA and SAHHRA will know how effective it is as a maintenance tool. If it proves sustainable, the group will present the findings of the pilot program to Harrisburg officials.
Walter suggested that demolition crews working for the city could plant low-mow grass as they raze houses, which would prevent lots from becoming overgrown with weeds. Both she and Domenico emphasized that vacant land is much more likely to be abused if it appears to be neglected.
SAHHRA has overseen the conversion of vacant lots into community parks before, and Domenico said it helps prevent vandalism.
“When we do community parks, nobody messes it up,” he said.
Domenico personally maintains four parks in Allison Hill by landscaping and picking up trash. He and his wife Jenniene also clear their own street of litter once a week.
Domenico recognizes that the city has limited resources to respond to community problems and thinks that all residents have a role in improving their neighborhoods.
“The city is still recovering financially, and we as citizens could and should do a lot more to help,” Domenico said.
He said that resident-led projects like the one on Hummel Street are a necessary step in the city’s fight against blight.
“This is providing one thing that my neighbors haven’t had in a while – hope,” he said.
