TITLE
Recommendation to request City Manager to report on a new Clean Long Beach Initiative in 120 days. The report should include goals and an update to City Council at a special study session set by the Mayor.
DISCUSSION
Over the last few years, numerous efforts have been implemented to keep Long Beach litter-free and keep trash and dumped items out of our neighborhoods and city streets. In the last few years, we have expanded our Clean Team operations, added hundreds of new trash cans, employed new technology like the Go Long Beach app, and cleaned up empty lots. While there has been progress made, it's time to improve Clean Team services and invest in solutions to keep the city cleaner.
We know that research connects neighborhood cleanliness and investment with civic pride and in some cases public safety. Regardless of numerous ordinances and laws, many neighborhoods are plagued with empty shopping carts, trash in both public and private lots, alleys and sidewalks with dumped items, and freeway on-ramps and off-ramps with litter and graffiti.
Code enforcement also needs to be improved along our corridors and streets. Shopping centers and retailers across the city often are over signed, with graffiti etched in their windows, and with numerous code violations. Before the Great Recession and the loss of redevelopment funds, proactive code enforcement was a vital component of basic neighborhood revitalization efforts. We have fallen behind and need to review and strengthen our enforcement efforts.
Having a unified single call number to access City services would also improve efficiency and tracking. Currently, residents have to search among numerous phone numbers to access specific services. Trash pick-up, graffiti, street sweeping, all have different phone numbers. The city must invest in single point of service for residents.
City cleanliness is every city employee's job, and should not just reside in dedicated employees like the Clean Team. A clean ...
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