Manchester to reconsider plan to eliminate trash removal for larger apartment buildings - WMUR Manchester

Manchester reconsiders plan to eliminate trash removal for larger buildings

Manchester to reconsider plan to eliminate trash removal for larger apartment buildings

Property owners say cost of private trash pickup would be passed onto renters

Manchester is reconsidering a plan that would eliminate city trash removal services for larger residential buildings, forcing property owners to use private pay services.

The proposal would eliminate trash pickup for apartment buildings in Manchester with more than four units. Landlords received a letter from the city last month letting them know the change is set to go into effect on Dec. 1.

City officials said it would bring Manchester more in line with how other cities in New Hampshire handle trash pickup service and would improve sanitation service downtown, where there is a greater concentration of bars and restaurants.

But landlords told News 9 that the change was being done without input from property owners or renters.

Landlord Rick Keyes said nearly all of his buildings in Manchester would see their trash pickup cut off if the plan goes through. He said he would have to contract with a private company for thousands of dollars, costs that would be passed onto renters.

"We just had a $20,000 tax increase," Keyes said. "Between the $20,000 tax increase, up to $2,000 in trash payments we have to pick up, I'm talking $1,000 a unit that they're going to have to pick up eventually."

Keyes said he plans to speak at Tuesday night's Board of Aldermen meeting, where officials will consider whether to move forward with the change to trash pickup.