How will Philly actually clean every block? Green official reveals summer plan

Earlier this month, Mayor Cherelle Parker made headlines when she signed an executive order aimed at the ambitious task of cleaning up every block of Philadelphia this summer.

Now on Friday, May 31, 2024, we learned how the new office city Office of Clean and Green Initiatives plans to pull off the seemingly monumental task.

Carlton Williams, director of the Office of Clean and Green Initiatives, held a news conference alongside representatives from the Philadelphia Streets Department, Philadelphia Water Department, Mural Arts Philadelphia, School District of Philadelphia, Philadelphia Police, Philadelphia Parking Authority, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and other city department and civic leaders midday Friday.

"We are one Philly, a united city" was the rallying cry of the group of 13 departments represented at the news conference. Nearly every person that spoke echoed Parker's message of making Philly the "cleanest, greenest big city in America.

Williams noted how the new plan can be carried forward.

“We believe in the theory of broken windows,” Williams said, “In that if you allow things to go unkept and undone, chaos and other things will follow. So, it’s important that residents see that we care.”

Parker's plan to make Philly 'safer, cleaner, greener'

"We want to make sure that we address these issues," Williams said Friday.

Actual copies of the plan were handed out to members of the press at the news conference.

Much of it coincides with what Parker said she wanted to see when two weeks ago the first-term Democrat signed an executive order creating her Clean and Green Cabinet, while announcing an ambitious endeavor to clean every block and address quality of life issues over the summer season.

"All Philadelphians want a cleaner, safer, greener Philly. This is what I mean when I say, 'One Philly,'" Parker said on May 17, 2024.

It's an ambitious plan with a team of 38 people tasked with finding ways to make Philly cleaner and greener as efforts are expected to ramp up in the next few weeks.

The 13-week-or-so plan goes far beyond cleaning up trash and sweeping streets, with potholes, illegal dumping, abandoned cars and blighted properties also set to be addressed.

“Cleaning every neighborhood, every block at a time by fixing potholes, fixing abandoned property, vacant cars, abandoned autos," Williams said two weeks ago. "We got the people here to do it we’re excited."

It all starts on Monday in Kensington.

"The Office of Clean and Green Initiatives in collaboration with various city departments will discuss the proactive and holistic strategy to address the many systemic and incessant quality of life issues related to litter, illegal dumping, graffiti, abandoned automobiles, vacant lots, and nuisance properties. The goal of the program is to clean every neighborhood in the City of Philadelphia over a 13-week period throughout the summer starting June 3 through August 26," the city said in a news release.

It's a long list of issues that people have been complaining about for decades. Residents are now hopeful that they'll finally be addressed.

For South Philadelphia resident Duncan Lloyd, the effort could be a way for the city to make a good first impression on visitors.

"Obviously summer is a big tourist time for folks to come in to Philadelphia and, like, first impressions go a long way," Lloyd said. "So, if you're not from the city and see a cleaner, more kept up Philadelphia, I think you'll want to come back."

The staff tasked with cleaning the streets will use an app called Quick Capture that will let them take pictures of the work they do so it can be tracked by the Office of Clean and Green Initatives.

You can track the progress at the office's "Join the Fight" page on their website.

When will the crew be in my neighborhood?

During the week of June 3, the neighborhoods of Frankford, Juniata, Harrowgate, Kensington, Richmond and Bridesburg will be the focus.

• Monday - Kensington Avenue from Torresdale to Delaware avenues and from Willard to Walbach streets.
• Tuesday - C Street to Kensington Avenue and Erie to Frankford avenues, Emerald Street and Kensington Avenue.
• Wednesday - Roosevelt Boulevard to Erie Avenue and from Oxford, Frankford and Kensington avenues to Weymouth Street.
• Thursday - Cheltenham to Torresdale avenues plus Kensington from Oxford and Frankford to Torresdale avenues.
• Friday - Frankford to Delaware avenues plus River from West Moreland to C streets.

During the week of June 10, the neighborhoods of Hunting Park, Olney, Fern Rock, East Oak Lane, Feltonville and Franklin will be the focus.

• Monday - Broad to Franklin streets as well as 6th and 7 streets from Louden to Cheltenham avenues.
• Tuesday - Front Street with 2nd to 8th streets and Franklin Street from Cheltenham to Sommerville avenues.
• Wednesday - Broad Street to 6th Street from Louden Street to Glenwood Avenue.
• Thursday - Roosevelt Boulevard to Glenwood Avenue from 6th to C streets.
• Friday - Cheltenham Avenue to Roosevelt Boulevard from 2nd and Front streets plus 7th Street to Adams, Tabor, Godfrey and Whitaker avenues.

During the week of June 17, the neighborhoods of Glenwood, Strawberry Mansion, Brewerytown, Tioga and Allegheny West will be the focus.

• Monday - Pennsylvania Avenue to Diamond Street from 33rd to 25th streets.
• Tuesday - Glenwood Avenue to Vine Street from 20th and 18th streets to Broad Street.
• Thursday - Fox and 24th streets to Broad Street from Sedgley, Lehigh and Glenwood avenues to Yelland and Hunting Park avenues.
• Friday - Vine Street to Sedgley and Lehigh avenues from 25th and 20th streets to 18th Street.
• Saturday - 24th, Fox streets, Sedgley and 25th to 33rd streets plus Ridge Avenue from Diamond to Westmoreland streets.

During the week of June 24, the neighborhoods of Fairhill, West Kensington, Fishtown, Northern Liberties, Poplar and Yorktown will be the focus.

• Monday - 6th Street to Delaware Avenue and Beach Street from Cecil B. Moore, Norris and York streets to Vine Street.
• Tuesday - Lehigh Avenue to Vine Street from Broad Street to 6th and 7th streets.
• Wednesday - Glenwood to Lehigh avenues and Cecil B. Moore from Broad, 7th and 6th streets to American and 2nd streets.
• Thursday - Venango Street to Indiana Avenue and Cecil B. Moore from American and 2nd streets to Front and C streets.

During the week of July 1, the neighborhoods of East Parkside, Wynnefield, Haddington, Overbrook and Cobbs Creek will be the focus.

• Monday - Locust Street to Springfield Avenue and 57th Street and Cobbs Creek Parkward to 52nd and 53rd streets.
• Tuesday - City Avenue to MLK, Girard, Parkside and Upland avenues plus 58th, 57th, 56th and Race streets.
• Wednesday - Upland and 54th streets to Race Street, Lancaster Avenue, Oxford, 58th streets to Malvern, 68th, 67th streets and Dagget and Gross.
• Friday - Lancaster Avenue and Oxford Street to Locust, 59th, 58th streets to 52nd Street.
• Saturday - Race Street to Angora and Cobbs Creek to 57th and 58th streets.

For the rest of the schedule, click here.