Like most issues, there is no single, all-encompassing solution to our challenges with blight across our City. The reality is that trash is a drain on City resources, and it impacts how we feel about our community. 

Making our community cleaner is a priority for my office. Keeping our community clean requires a consistent, concerted effort with the City’s Emergency Operations Center, the BeautifySJ program, the City Manager’s Office, Mayor and Council Offices, the City’s Code Enforcement Department, Caltrans, Union Pacific Railroad, non-profit organizations, local businesses, and volunteers/neighbors like you. 

Here are the initiatives and projects my District 2 Team has worked on since 2017:

• In 2020 I, along with Mayor Liccardo and Councilmembers Diep and Davis, elevated attention to blight and litter clean-ups across the City. We approved tripling our resources with $3 million in additional funds dedicated to addressing blight and trash along our freeways, highways, railroads, and waterways. We prioritized the most needed and most highly visible, high-traffic locations—those that have had the greatest impact on our residents’ perception of their community. 

• I have secured more than $500,000 from the City’s budget throughout my years in office to kick off several programs that are part of my action plan to help #beautifySJ, starting with District 2.

• In 2021, I co-authored a memorandum with Councilmember Raul Peralez to increase illegal dumping fines to $10,000 for the first and subsequent offenses. We hope the fourfold increase in fines will make residents think twice before dumping garbage in places such as parks and homeless encampments.

• In 2019-2020, we partnered with the Downtown Streets Team (DST), a non-profit organization that contributes to a cleaner community while engaging homeless and at-risk individuals, through the SJ Bridge program. Together, we have identified hot spots in District 2 that were monitored regularly by the SJ Bridge program. 

• In 2019, my team led an effort with the City Attorney’s Office and DST to clean up the Monterey Rd. corridor along the Union Pacific railroad tracks. We worked diligently on a Memorandum of Understanding with UP so that the City could gain regular access for litter clean-ups, abatements, and graffiti removal. 

• Wherever possible, my team works with City departments and contractors to deploy dumpsters and trash service, respond quickly to encampments and illegal dumping, hire unemployed and homeless residents, and deter future trespassing and other activity on Monterey Road. We’ve also partnered with the Trash Punx 

• My office also kicked off efforts to build community resilience and activation along the historically under-served area of Roeder Avenue and Roundtable Drive through Project Hope. Project Hope is a community-driven initiative led by the City's Anti-Graffiti & Anti-Litter Program. 

• I have worked with Code Enforcement to improve or City’s shopping cart ordinance to prevent carts from littering our streets

JOIN A NEIGHBORHOOD CLEAN UP OR ORGANIZE YOUR OWN!

Neighborhood Litter Cleanup 

Get connected to your District 2 Neighborhood Association (N.A.) to find out when the next clean up in your area is! N.A.'s are groups of community members who meet and collaborate to work towards common goals such as: beautification/clean-up efforts, safety enhancements, and social events. 

If you would like to organize your own Neighborhood Clean Up in District 2, sign up here to join the thousands of volunteers who have already removed tons of trash from the City's public space. We provide each volunteer an Anti-Litter Kit that contains: one litter stick, one pair of gloves, one volunteer vest, two garbage bags, and two litter stickers for free garbage bag pick up. For more information, call (408) 975-7233. 

Anti-Graffiti Volunteer Opportunities

The Anti-Graffiti Program recruits volunteers ages 18+ to assist with graffiti removal, beautifying San José for all residents and visitors. We provide possible cleanup locations, or you can become a long-term volunteer, by adopting your own neighborhood. Sign up here to volunteer and receive an Anti-Graffiti Kit containing safety gear, chemical gloves, safety glasses, an 8 oz bottle of solvent, a sponge, and rags. Volunteers must call for an appointment to pick up supplies. Supplies can be picked up Monday-Thursday, 8am-3pm and Friday, 8am- noon. For more information regarding the program, please call (408) 975-7233.  

You and community members of all ages can help keep San José safe and clean!