PRESS RELEASE 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 24, 2012 

CONTACT: (415) 554-4829, mindy.linetzky@sfdpw.org

PUBLIC WORKS COMPLETES “NIGHT WALKS” IN BUSY COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS – 

“SPRUCE UP BY SUN UP” MORNING INSPECTIONS START TOMORROW 

133 blocks checked for un-kept sidewalks, no garbage service, tree maintenance, dumping & graffiti.

San Francisco, CA – Over the past nine weeks, the Department of Public Works crews participated in evening inspections of busy San Francisco corridors to help keep commercial areas attractive and thriving. As part of DPW’s Community Corridors Program, staff scans the sidewalks looking for cleanliness and safety hazards. Public violations are reported to the proper agency. If the issue pertains to a private property or business, staff provides verbal and written information on how to correct the problem and avoid a monetary fine.

“For the past five years, DPW has been reaching out to businesses in heavily traveled commercial areas to inform the public of their responsibilities,” said Larry Stringer, Deputy Director for Operations at the Department Public Works. “We are pleased with the improvements we’ve seen through our comprehensive outreach efforts.”

“As we continue Night Walks and Spruce Up inspections, neighborhood businesses have become familiar with City ordinances and are doing their part to clean up the commercial corridors,” said DPW Director Mohammed Nuru. “We all know that DPW and other City agencies’ resources are limited, so it’s important that merchants learn to care for their own storefronts.”

During the recent Night Walks, 133 San Francisco blocks were checked for un-kept sidewalks, lack of garbage service, tree maintenance issues, illegal dumping and graffiti. Through these inspections, DPW recorded a total of 1,691 deficiencies. Approximately 38% of the issues pertained to public and private graffiti. Deputy Director Stringer states, “Removing graffiti is a task that our department and the public share and timely abatement is the best strategy for keeping graffiti from spreading or returning.” If the property owner or business does not abate the graffiti within 30 days, they are subject to a minimum monetary fine of $269. The next largest violation is gummy, grimy sidewalks where 266 people received warning notices. See chart below for other deficiencies.

Night Walks are one aspect of the Community Corridors Program, which started in 2006 to improve the quality of life in the City’s busiest commercial corridors through education and outreach. Scheduled inspections occur about every four to six months and last about two to four months. This Night Walk, the third installation under the Community Corridors Program, started on July 18th and ended September 11th. Other Community Corridors Program components include Spruce Up by Sun Up and Eco Blitzes, which are similar inspection programs that occur at other times of the day.

Spruce Up by Sun Up kicks off at 5 am on September 25th with DPW staff ready to target the next set of commercial corridors. DPW staff will be out early in the morning scanning city blocks looking for deficiencies and educating merchants about keeping their storefront areas clean.

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. For more information, visit www.sfdpw.org or call 311.

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