Dumpsters removed from Chinatown

The homeless, living on the street of Salinas’ Chinatown, say they have nowhere to throw out their trash. The city got rid of the dumpsters here a few weeks ago.

“We try to keep it clean as much as possible,” says David Cuellar, who is homeless. “I don’t know. No explanation has been given.”

Salinas Mayor Joe Gunter said the dumpsters were taken away because people from outside Chinatown here coming to use the city dumpsters. Also, private Chinatown businesses were using these city dumpsters instead of providing their own.

“People are hauling their garbage down there and using those, versus going to the transfer station or providing their own garbage service,” Gunter tells KION.

Now, Public Workers will pick up trash off the sides of the road once or twice every two weeks. People in Chinatown tells us they haven’t seen anyone collect their trash since the dumpsters went away. Mayor Gunter disputes the claim.