PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS & PUBLIC AGENCIES’ ONGOING JOINT EFFORTS REMOVE OVER 130 TONS OF TRASH ALONG RIVER
San Diego – Continuing with his aggressive “Clean SD” initiative to remove trash and debris from public areas, Mayor Kevin L. Faulconer today announced several private owners and public agencies that control property along the 17-mile San Diego River have joined cleanup efforts to remove trash and debris from one of the region’s most precious natural resources.
So far, the cleanup efforts have resulted in over 157 tons of trash removed from the riverbed and reduced the number of homeless encampments by half along the river since September. The number of encampments totaled 118 in October but fell to 58 in June, according to the SDRPF’s River Assessment Field Team, which tallies encampments monthly.
As part of the “Clean SD” initiative, the City provided $25,000 to the SDRPF to conduct surveys and cleanups along the river.
“We’re making tremendous progress toward restoring the San Diego River to its natural beauty,” Mayor Faulconer said. “Now we’re taking it to the next level by partnering with private property owners and other public agencies that are willing to do their part to clean up the riverbed so it can be enjoyed by San Diegans for generations to come. The preservation of the San Diego River must be a shared responsibility by everyone along the river and only by working together will we get the job done.”
The City of San Diego owns about one-third of the property along the river. The remaining two-thirds is split between private property owners, various public agencies and the San Diego River Park Foundation (SDRPF).
In April, Mayor Faulconer announced that crews had cleared all of the City-owned property along the river at least once and would be working proactively with other adjacent property owners to clean up the remaining portions of the riverbed.
“The ongoing cleanup, enforcement and cooperation is helping return the river to the way I remember it as a child,” Councilmember Sherman said. “With continued cooperation and the implementation of the San Diego River Park Master Plan, we can turn the river into an amenity instead of an afterthought.”
The City has offered one-time cleanup assistance to private property owners and several have accepted. After the one-time cleanup, it will be the owners’ responsibility to maintain the site. Those who do not take advantage of the offer are required to clean it themselves or they will be cited, which could result in fines ranging from $100 to $1,000 per day.
“It is exciting to see a broad coalition coming together for a trash-free river and a healthy community,” said Rob Hutsel, President and CEO of the San Diego River Park Foundation. “With Mayor Faulconer’s leadership, the San Diego River Park Foundation, public agencies and private landowners are seeing results. After years of treading water, finally our goal is in reach. Working together the river has a bright future.”
Launched in May 2017, the “Clean SD” initiative includes City and Urban Corps crews that respond to complaints received through the City’s Get It Done application, and remove litter in “hotspots” in Ocean Beach, City Heights, San Ysidro, Logan Heights, Paradise Hills, Webster & Mount Hope, Mission Beach, Point Loma and Pacific Beach — neighborhoods with a historically high level of illegal dumping activity.
Mayor Faulconer expanded the “Clean SD” program in the new fiscal year that begin July 1 by adding 16 new positions – from heavy truck drivers to code compliance officers – to support the initiative.
