BUFFALO– Mayor Byron W. Brown and members of the City of Buffalo Division of Citizen Services Save Our Streets (SOS) Task Force celebrated the completion of another successful clean sweep season today.
Over a six month period beginning in early June, Mayor Brown and the SOS Task Force conducted 32 ‘Clean Sweeps’ citywide to address blight and quality of life issues in the city of Buffalo. At each of the locations, a number of city services were performed, including the removal of debris and graffiti, house board-ups, lawn mowing and the distribution of smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors.
“I am proud of the continued collaboration we have with so many community partners and commend the efforts of Clean Sweep participants to further improve the overall quality of life in Buffalo,” said Mayor Brown. “This year, we conducted 32 Clean Sweeps, reconfirming my Administration’s continuing commitment to address blight and quality of life issues in each City Council District for the benefit of our residents and their neighborhoods.”
Overall, the 2019 Clean Sweep Initiative included: 23 large-scale sweeps, 2 mini-sweeps, and 2 Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority sweeps. This year, Citizen Services introduced 3 power-hour sweeps and 2 Love Your Block “Green & Clean” sweeps as innovative solutions for increased community participation. While the power-hour sweep convened select partners to perform outreach on one street in one hour, Green & Clean sweep built the capacity of block club leaders to coordinate neighborhood clean-ups in their respective community.
Throughout the 2019 Clean Sweep season, the SOS Task Force offered essential quality of life services to residents including: dental services, health insurance enrollment, homeless outreach, fire prevention education, disaster preparedness, mental health services, youth and senior programming information, employment and training referrals, tree trimming, boarding and demolishing vacant homes, removing debris and abandoned tires, filling potholes, cleaning sewer receivers, offering 311 information to assist in addressing neighborhood complaints.
Oswaldo Mestre, Chief Service Officer and Director of Citizen Services, stated “clean sweeps are more than just beautifying neighborhoods and connecting residents to much-needed services; it has become a staple in challenged communities where citizens can anticipate city services working to address their needs in real-time.
The Save Our Streets Task Force is part of the Division of Citizen Services, and is comprised of various City, County, State, Federal, government, not for profit and private agencies tasked with the mission to fight the war of blight and crime. More than 100 participants, from 42 agencies and law enforcement organizations, took part in the weekly quality of life initiative.
The Clean Sweeps program began during the time of Mayor Brown’s predecessor, Mayor Anthony Masiello. Since taking office, Mayor Brown has expanded the scope and impact of the Save Our Streets Task Force, resulting in 353 neighborhood clean sweeps since 2006.