LANSING, Mich. — Unclaimed shoes are clogging the shelves at P and S Shoe Repair in Delta Township.
The owner, Susan Anderson, says she's had some of them for 15 years.
“It’s just getting to the point where there is a lot of them, that people haven’t picked up,” she said.
Anderson is unable to get rid of the shoes because of the Michigan's Unclaimed Property Act.
The act, introduced in 1995, says an item is considered abandoned only after three years. While it was created to protect things like unclaimed homes, it also applies to shoes.
But a bill put forward by State Rep. Angela Witwer would provide a solution.
“I been in discussion with the [representative] and she said she’ll see if she can try and get the bill amended or redone so we can dispose them,” Anderson said.
Witwer, who visits P and S on a regular basis, recently introduced House Bill 4994, which would allow shoe repair owners like Anderson to donate unclaimed shoes after 6 months.
“It’ll go to like Goodwill, St. Vincent, so the shoes will be really helping out people,” Anderson said.
Witwer's bill has been referred to the House Committee on Commerce and Tourism
