COMPTON, Calif. - “I shouldn’t have to look at this every day and worry about the next person falling,” says Compton Resident Tamika Ellis.
She’s referring to a cracked and broken sidewalk in front of her house.
For three years, Tamika has been sending emails and placing phone calls to the City of Compton complaining about the dangerous sidewalk. The result has always been the same.
“I leave voicemails and no one calls me back,” says Tamika. But someone was listening because one year, city crews stopped by to leave an orange cone near the buckled sidewalk.
This browser does not support the Video element.
Broken sidewalk in Compton fixed after nearly 3 years
A viewer turned to FOX 11 because the sidewalk outside her home was broken and dangerous. For years the city did nothing. Then our Gina Silva stepped in.
Tamika says, “The cone was a total slap in the face. I realized that it was basically a shut-up and go on about your business.”
FOX 11 contacted the City of Compton and we received an email stating, “The City will not be commenting on the story.” We also reached out to Mayor Aja Brown who told us she is out of the office until Friday but was hopeful someone else could address this issue. No one ever did. Tamika sent out this plea: “Aja, I would love for you to come and see for yourself what is happening in front of my home. I would like for you to have someone come out and fix it, Aja.”
One day later, Compton City crews began working on the sidewalk in front of Tamika’s home.
“I’m totally excited about this,” says Tamika. Still, she questions why it’s taken so long to get this work done.
"I’m happy and yet I’m still sad and disappointed that this is what it takes in order for us to be heard here in the City of Compton.”
While the sidewalk isn’t completed, crews told Tamika they’ll be back at it on Friday.
“I just want to say, Thank you. Thank you FOX 11 for bringing this to light. Here in the City of Compton, we feel like we don’t have a voice and the fact that you are giving me a voice and opening doors so other citizens of Compton can have a voice, I truly appreciate it.”