Mayor Parker reveals 13-week Philadelphia neighborhood cleaning program | Check the map

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Philadelphia's Office of Clean and Green Initiatives is launching a months-long plan to clean up the city.

The goal of the program is to clean every neighborhood from June through August 26th.

The 13-week cleaning program will begin on Monday and will incorporate more than a dozen government agencies to clean every single residential street in the city by the end of summer.

"We're forming a united front with city agencies, businesses and the community to ensure a citywide effort against urban decay," said Clean and Green Initiatives Director
Carlton Williams.

Mayor Cherelle Parker says the program will tackle many quality of life issues related to litter, illegal dumping, graffiti, abandoned automobiles, vacant lots, and nuisance properties.

"We're going to deliver on our promise and end 'Filthadelphia' once and for all," said Parker.

Starting Monday, crews will begin sanitizing and tidying up streets between Kensington, Torresdale and Delaware avenues in Frankford. Then crews will tackle other neighboorhoods.

Trudy and Edward Kellam say they try their best to keep their block clean, but keeping it that way remains challenging as people litter and let trash and debris fly all over the place.

"They sit the trash out, they don't tie the trash bags you know? And they just let it sit how it is and let it go," said Edward.

Some progress has been made, specifically in the 19124 zip code, which includes Frankford. The Action News data journalism team has learned reports of illegal dumping are down nearly 20% since this time last year.

Dot Soklo says if the cleaning effort brings a little a sparkle back to her neighborhood, she welcomes it.

"Dumping, littering, I mean this city used to be wonderful and now it's like turned to trash and that's what we have is trash," she said.