OR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: FEB. 9, 2013 

Contact: Rachel Gordon, DPW communications director 

(415) 554-6045 or rachel.gordon@sfdpw.org

2013 COMMUNITY CLEAN TEAM SEASON STARTS OFF WITH A BANG 

District 6 Neighborhoods Benefit from Cleaning and Greening Projects

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Community Clean Team, the popular neighborhood cleaning and greening program that brings together volunteers from across the City, launched its 2013 season at U.N. Plaza on Saturday.

Mayor Edwin M. Lee was joined by Supervisor Jane Kim, Supervisor Scott Wiener, Supervisor Eric Mar, City Treasurer Jose Cisneros and leaders of City departments and community organizations to mark the first of eight Community Clean Team events this year -- and to usher in the Chinese New Year. The Community Youth Center’s lion and dragon dancers performed, and just to keep things popping, more than 1,500 firecrackers were set off.

“We wanted to start off the year’s Community Clean Team events with a bang,” said Mohammed Nuru, director of the San Francisco Department of Public Works. “This program is a great way for people keep the City clean and beautiful.”

After the kickoff celebration under brilliant blue morning skies, nearly 400 volunteers joined City work crews and fanned out across District 6 neighborhoods, including the Tenderloin, Civic Center and the South of Market. They worked on tree care and landscaping, removed weeds, painted over graffiti and cleaned up litter around the neighborhood corridors, in parks and alleyways, and at public housing sites.

“It’s the people who work with us -- all the volunteers -- who are so important when it comes to taking care of San Francisco,” Mayor Lee said. “Together, we can make a real difference.” 

Supervisor Kim thanked the volunteers for turning out to “help keep District 6 clean and vibrant.”

Launched in 2000, the Clean Team events rotate among each supervisorial district throughout the season and generally run from February through October.

Last year, 5,986 Community Clean Team volunteers planted 1,325 trees, bushes and plants; removed 62 tons of litter and debris from sidewalks and parks; removed 54 tons of green waste from sidewalks and medians; abated graffiti from more than 47,000 sq. ft. of public property; trimmed 50 trees; and improved 308 tree basins.

The District 6 Community Clean Team event followed Friday’s start of Giant Sweep -- an anti-litter campaign that incorporates hands-on activities and educational components with the goal of creating a culture of clean in San Francisco.

Mayor Lee has made the cleaning and beautification of San Francisco a top priority in his administration, and he challenged residents, businesses and community groups to pitch in.

The Department of Public Works’ Community Clean Team partners include the Recreation and Park Department, the San Francisco Housing Authority, San Francisco Arts Commission, all 11 members of the Board of Supervisors, the San Francisco Police Department, the Department of the Environment, the sheriff’s office, Clean City, Caltrans, the Municipal Transportation Agency, the San Francisco Unified School District, the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services, SF Parks Alliance, La Tierra, Friends of the Urban Forest, Got Graffiti?, United Playaz, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Community Youth Center, Mission Neighborhood Centers and the San Francisco Pretrial Diversion Project. 

The program is sponsored by DPW, Walgreens, Recology, Academy of Art University, the Emerald Fund, the San Francisco Hilton, Luxor Cab Co., Laborers’ Local 261, PG&E, Starbucks and Reo Solutions. Contributions include in-kind services, volunteer hours and financial support.

About DPW: DPW is responsible for the care and maintenance of San Francisco’s streets and much of its infrastructure. The department cleans and resurfaces streets; plants and maintains City street trees; designs, constructs and maintains City-owned facilities; inspects streets and sidewalks; constructs curb ramps; removes graffiti from public property; and partners with the diverse neighborhoods in San Francisco to provide stellar cleaning and greening services. More information is available atwww.sfdpw.org

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