As he walks up and down the streets and backyards of Rochester’s Historic Little Italy Neighborhood, Silvano Orsi walks past trash-littered lawns; big, and small. From something simple like a pizza box to more dangerous garbage like needles. Orsi, who serves as the President of the Little Italy Neighborhood Association says it's due to years of neglect in what was a once-thriving area.

The neighborhood sits in the Lyell Avenue corridor, which according to the neighborhood association’s website “is the primary North West Gateway into the City of Rochester and it ushers in thousands of people each day to Downtown Rochester.” The neighborhood was just recently recognized as a historic district by the City of Rochester back in June. Orsi says the garbage pileup gives the district a bad look. He believes the longer the area is left this way, the more it will turn off investment and tourism.