Why do some streets not get cleaned in San Francisco?
“It depends on whether a certain street is maintained by the city or not,” DPW’s Larry Stringer told me. “Property owners along a certain block may decide that they want their street swept, and submit a petition.”
You can do so here; you’ll have to collect as many neighbors’ signatures “as possible” and explain why you think your street should be cleaned. If your petition’s approved, you’ll get your own “street sweeping” signs within a few months and find out how stressful it is to have to remember to move your car every Tuesday at 9 a.m.
You can also submit a petition to have street sweeping services taken away via the same website. If your request goes through, that means no more sweet sweeping parking tickets (but probably a very dirty street?).
Stringer told me some streets are automatically cleaned because they are “hot spots,” which is seemingly code for “high activity of homeless people.” “[The City] will constantly clean ‘hot spot’ areas due to high activity.”
Think of “Ask the Appeal” as your own personal genie: no Bay-related question is too big or too small. Whether you’re concerned with a municipal question, a consumer advocacy issue or simply with consuming alcohol, email us your questions at ask@sfappeal.com (or, find answers to past questions here). We’ll either do the dirty work and talk to the folks in charge, contact an expert in the field, or – if your question is particularly intriguing or juicy – develop it into a full-blown investigative article.
