NEW ORLEANS — Neighbors in the Ninth Ward say their street has become a dumping ground — with overgrown trees, piles of old tires, and idling trains creating unsafe and unhealthy conditions near their homes.

For resident Denise Collins, it’s been an ongoing struggle.

“The soot that’s on my home is off the train,” Collins said. “My house shakes — nails are coming out the paint from the rattling.”

Collins says trains often idle for hours behind her home, while illegal dumping has turned the area around Constitution Place and Franklin Avenue into a mess of tires and debris.

“It’s a dumping ground,” she said. “I don’t see who’s putting the tires out here, but they’re everywhere.”

After years of calling for help, Collins connected with Gregory Swafford, founder of the community-based organ

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