Marble Hill tenants turned off by heaps of trash

Carol Spencer sat on a bench outside her building at the Marble Hill Houses, on the side facing Broadway. Various items of trash were strewn upon the grass around the bench; behind her, a dirty mattress was propped against the wall of her building.

“It’s ridiculous,” said the 64-year-old resident, who has lived at the NYCHA campus in Marble Hill her whole life. “People throw their garbage in the elevators, on the ground — anywhere except where it’s supposed to go.”

Ms. Spencer echoed a sentiment that many Marble Hill residents have expressed about trash disposal at the housing complex.

While each floor has a trash chute leading to a garbage incinerator, residents, and, some say, outsiders often deposit bulk garbage that does not fit in the trash chutes outside the buildings, rather than bringing it to the designated trash area.

Both residents and caretakers at the buildings say the Marble Hill Houses lack the personnel to deal with a growing garbage problem.

“This development is short staffed,” said one caretaker who chose not to share his name. 

A NYCHA spokeswoman said that NYCHA has temporarily addressed staffing shortages at the Marble Hill campus by hiring additional caretakers for temporary assignment. 

“NYCHA is continually looking at ways to address improper garbage disposal and illegal dumping at Marble Hill Houses and hundreds of other locations,” she said. “Clean developments are a priority for residents and NYCHA operations, and neighbors need to model best practices for one another.”

Another spokeswoman emphasized the need for neighbors to alert one another to improper garbage disposal. She said NYCHA’s monthly publication contains information about proper garbage disposal. Residents are encouraged to report improper garbage disposal to the management office.