Mayor Breed promises long-term cleaning improvements for city streets and public spaces.
Yesterday, SF Mayor London Breed launched Shine On SF, an initiative that’s meant to “reignite civic pride” by establishing new city cleaning measures. The 3-year-long initiative will promote both long- and short-term improvements, achieved by rallying city volunteers, expanding power washing teams, replacing city trash cans, and much more. It has kicked off alongside SFWednesdays, a 10-week free concert/performance series happening at various places downtown.
The first component of Shine On SF is a push for civic engagement, in which the city will call on volunteers to get involved in neighborhood clean ups, beautification projects, and more. Their current project is “Golden Trees,” in which trees are displayed at pop-ups around the city each weekend until August 16. People can decorate the trees with hand-written sentiments on golden cards, saying what makes San Francisco shine for them. “Golden Trees” will come back during the holidays for a citywide art installation. Efforts like these are funded by donors through a public-private partnership.You can sign up to volunteer at the Shine On SF website.
Shine On SF’s second component will focus on city cleaning efforts, backed by a $96.2M dollar budget. This will go towards the following:
- CleanCorridorsSF program expansion – This program began during the pandemic, dispatching public works street cleaners to deep-clean a different neighborhood district each day. The city will now double the service and make it permanent.
- Community Youth Center (CYC) Power Wash Mobile Team expansion – A new pilot program that began in Chinatown, employing immigrants with barriers to employment as steam cleaners and power washers. This team will increase monthly power washing in additional neighborhoods starting in August.
- Improving the 311 system – SF311, in which city residents can submit requests regarding city services, will be streamlined. They will also add photos so users can see their requests have been fulfilled.
- Trash Receptacle Replacement Program expansion – City trash cans will be replaced during the next 3 years with new ones that prevent overflow. The city will also modify the trash can placement and removal service to be more efficient and effective.
The city’s new clean-up initiative has also launched alongside SFWednesdays, a free performance series happening weekly to promote community engagement and give voice to SF’s best musical groups. Each Wednesday, you can find 3 different performances happening in iconic outdoor places downtown. See their website for the latest updates on lineup, place, and time.
“San Franciscans care deeply about our City—for its unique beauty, culture, diversity and its neighborhoods,” said Mayor Breed. “During this pandemic, we showed what we can do when we come together to protect and care for one another, and we need to carry that spirit forward to care for our City. Clean sidewalks and beautiful public spaces are essential to public health, community, and economic viability. They are a matter of equity that every resident and visitor should enjoy. We are launching Shine On SF to do more to keep San Francisco clean, celebrate all those who take care of our City every day, and inspire everyone to do their part to make this City shine.”
Featured image: mikeledray via Shutterstock