ST. LOUIS – Alderman Rasheen Aldridge (Ward 14) teamed up with city agencies to address the long-standing issue of derelict vehicles in the College Hill neighborhood Thursday morning.
Aldridge is elated that positive change is occurring for the city streets, but some residents say they are not happy knowing their vehicle will be towed Monday.
“We tagged, I would say, over 20 plus cars that were derelict and have been sitting for awhile. Neighbors have been complaining about, and we’ve towed over eight cars that were truly not drivable. That were sitting on bricks because the wheels were gone; glass was busted,” the alderman said.
This blitz comes after the Citizen’s Service Bureau shows more than 7,000 requests for vehicle towing in 2024. Aldridge says derelict cars are on the top complaints his office receives.
“The city is not taking these derelict cars as a joke any more. This is serious. No one should have to see these eye sores. No one should have to pull up to their house and not have no where to park because a derelict vehicle that’s been stolen has been sitting out there for way too long,” he said.
While many residents welcome the cleanup, some expressed frustration. Ashley Shannon, a single mother, says the tagging caused her significant stress.
“To put extra pressure on me about getting this car registered right now, it’s adding on to my anxiety,” she said.
Shannon would like the alderpersons to get to know the living situations of residents before taking action.
“You have a lot of good people in this community who just don’t have the financial ability to fix their situation….they’re just trying to get from point a to point b,” Shannon added.
Residents are encouraged to report abandoned vehicles through the Citizen’s Service Bureau. The next phase will move to Carr Square next week, with plans to tackle other problem areas in the 14th ward.