KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Trash continues to pile up behind a vacant shopping center in south Kansas City.

FOX4 first told you about the illegal dumping at Robandee Shopping Center in 2021.

For years, people dumped their trash behind the building, and nothing was done. After FOX4’s story aired, the city made the property owners clean up the trash.

But now it’s starting to pile up again.

“I was shocked, and I was appalled,” resident Constance Nelson said.

“Imagine you wake up in the morning, you come outside to have your coffee on your back porch, this is what you see,” said Brandon Wright, co-chair of the Hickman Mills United Neighborhoods.

Walking with their noses covered, neighbors brought FOX4 back to the shopping center.

“If I had this level of trash in my front yard or my backyard, I don’t think I could stop code enforcement from getting a hazmat clean up team out here,” Wright said.

Working for you, FOX4 reached out to the city. We received the following statement:

“City code enforcement officers from the Neighborhoods Services Department are aware of the illegal dumping issues at the Robandee Shopping Center. Code enforcement officers last visited the center on March 2 and took photos of their findings. Following the visit, the city notified the property owner, who is responsible for cleanup, to rectify the issue.

“According to the owner, there are arrangements to deliver a dumpster and remove the debris. The city is preparing its contractors to provide a bid to clean the area if the owner does not follow through on their responsibility. The owner will be assessed for the cost of the work performed and an administrative fee.”