INDIANAPOLIS -- Indianapolis appears due for a heavy dose of spring cleaning.

Litter is rampant in many parts of the city, and officials are concerned that piled up trash could leave a bad impression in a couple of weeks when the NCAA Tournament Final Four descends on Indianapolis.

The city's litter problem doesn't discriminate. It's readily seen in the public right-of-way and on private property. The problem is worse in some areas of the city than others, but the scourge affects everyone.

Many Indianapolis neighborhoods befallen by multiple vacant and abandoned homes are perhaps the biggest source of the problem.

Cordelia Flonnery's home in the 2600 block of Station Street is a rose among thorns. She's surround by abandoned homes and the trash that illegal dumpers bring to the neighborhood.

"You're coming home and the area looks terrible," she said. "By the time you get home, you just don't feel like anything. You feel kind of down."

City officials point to some successes in recent battles with litter. On the near-southeast side, cleanliness appears to have positively affected the crime rate, which is down, and many organizations are taking the effort into their own hands.

Last year, the Southeast Community Organization collected nearly 3,800 tons of trash in neighborhood-sponsored cleanups. Residents think clean streets signify that the neighborhood cares.

"We've got to take back our neighborhoods. We can't depend on the city to do it all for us," said Rachel Cooper, of the Southeast Community Organization. "If we're going to do away with the blight … we've got to do the cleanup ourselves."

Keep Indianapolis Beautiful helped 300 neighborhood groups pick up more than 2 million pounds of trash last year.

"It would not be very beautiful here in Indianapolis (without us)," said Tammy Stevens, of Keep Indianapolis Beautiful. "We'd be buried in litter."

More than 45,000 volunteers donated time and sweat equity last year in keeping the city clean, greatly aiding the Department of Public Works, which has limited resources.

Given the current litter problem, it's likely even more volunteer effort will be needed this year.

More Information: Keep Indianapolis Beautiful's Great Indy Cleanup