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'We want action' | Neighbors fed up with conditions on central Toledo street

Overgrown weeds and cracked cement fill the alleyway on Woodland Avenue. Residents have reached out to the city for help, but so far, nothing has been done.

TOLEDO, Ohio — Neighbors in central Toledo are fed up, as weeds continue to take over an area of Woodland Avenue. 

WTOL 11 received an email from a woman living on the street, saying she can never get anyone from the city to come take care of the overgrown alley behind her house.

"I've been documenting it for the last three years," Georgia Gregory said. "I've been getting the run around so I thought I would call someone to see if I can get help."

Gregory has pages of times and dates she's called to get something done about the alleyway, but said she's either been ignored or referred to someone else.

"Before my husband died he would keep the things mowed and stuff like that and then I would pay some people sometimes, but then I thought I shouldn't have to do that," Gregory said.

So, it's been overrun by weeds.

Credit: WTOL 11

"[The] girl across the street called, [the] guy next door to this house called, and we just don't get any results," Gregory said.

It turns out, the woman living across from Gregory, Bernice Fontenet, has been calling the city about a different problem.

"I'm just pissed that everyday, I open my door and I have to look at this mess," Fontenet said. 

She said another house across the street has been overgrown for years.

Credit: WTOL 11

Within two hours of WTOL 11 visiting the neighborhood, the yard was cleaned up; but city officials said it wasn't them.

Credit: WTOL 11

Neighbors said Thursday they still need more work done around the area.

"We have an African American festival down on Dorr Street from Detroit to Collingwood, and of course, all you politicians from downtown are going to be down here throwing candy. We don't want candy we want action," Fontenet said.

Fontenet said she has lived in the same house for more than 50 years and doesn't think the road has ever been paved or patched. There is brick showing underneath the cracks in the road.

WTOL 11 spoke with city officials who said they hope to have answers from the Commissioner of Code Compliance on Friday.

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