Garbage on street

[JHICON]

All right, here's my opinion:  I don't think it can be entirely blamed on someone's ethnicity. Although I do think that where and how you were brought up certainly affects how you see and treat the environment you work and live in.   I see all different people toss garbage while walking down the street or out their car window.  Tonight, while walking my dog, I saw a young couple hanging out and he was peeing on the garage door of the Co-op across the street.  She was hysterical laughing.  That has nothing to do with ethnicity.  It has everything to do with culture or lack of it. And respect/consideration for one's neighbors or, again, lack of.   It seems like our collective consciousness is broken.  And I don't know how to fix it. I used to get so angry over this (and other things like this) and now it just makes me sad.  I don't litter. I'll carry an empty coffee cup for blocks until I find a garbage pail. I don't think criticizing people teaches them respect.  It just makes them angry.  Some neighborhoods have organizations that clean up the area.  I'm guessing the merchants pay for that.  I wonder why the Jackson Heights business district (which would be along 37th Ave. and take in 82nd, 73rd, 74th Streets at least) doesn't have one or has one but it doesn't seem to make a positive impact on keeping the areas clean.  Anyone know?  Because I do feel the merchants should keep their sidewalks and gutters clean. 

Well said.

I agree it does have to do with how one is brought up.

Can't one complain to 311 if one thinks the commercial area of JH is filthy and tell store owner's to take care of the problem? Or like some sort of summons for not cleaning garbage in front of ones store.

[Brian]

Can't one complain to 311 if one thinks the commercial area of JH is filthy and tell store owner's to take care of the problem? Or like some sort of summons for not cleaning garbage in front of ones store.

It is not that simple.  These days, it takes a week or in my worst experience three weeks for the sanitation dept officer to arrive at the location after the complaint was submitted.  I am not sure if this is because of Jackson Heights.  I had a experience where there were lot of food garbage thrown into one of the  tree guards and it was really really nasty.  I called 311 but it was left like that for 3, 4 days.  Eventually, I went into the store in front of the tree guard and complain.  A guy from the store doesn't seem to understand why I was complained but I insisted and he finally cleaned up.

[Greentea822]

I have only lived here a few months, but I was shocked to see that most stores do not take any responsibility for their sidewalks.  Jackson Diner is a perfect example; (I pass it to and from work each day) they have smelly mushy waste on their walk daily.  Why isn't it their responsibility to properly bag their waste and clean up if/when a spill occurs?  There is a mess outside EVERY DAY - what if all the restaurants did that?  It would be a huge vermin magnet!!  I wish the cops in the neighborhood (who seem to have a presence on 74th in the evenings lately) would issue summons for failure to maintain the sidewalk. 

Why aren't the shops of 74th responsible for sweeping and scrubbing?  ESPECIALLY since the street is so heavily trafficked?  :tickedoff:

Oh, and did anyone notice the sign that the management company posted at 35-48 73rd?  There used to be garbage on the walk every day, and they must have gotten tickets because the sign says that anyone who disposes of trash on a non-collection day will be responsible for any related fines...  I actually saw a rat running back and forth between the building and the trash bags one night.  blech.

[Brian]

let's make the discussion constructive!

I understand Merchants at 74st refused to form BID in the past, but..
Does anyone know the way to have Merchants at 74st organize BID??  If they make so much money, isn't it reasonable to ask them do something for community? 

And Todd, you mentioned WJHA is working on getting some dedicated maintenance staff.
even though "let's have someone else clean the street" is not the best solution, could you tell me more about it? 

[John Prester]

From "Duck Soup", 1933 film featuring the Marx Brothers (Groucho, Harpo, Chico, and Zeppo - no relation to Karl or Richard):
Mrs. Teasdale: Your Excellency, I thought you'd left!
Chicolini: Oh no, I no leave.
Mrs. Teasdale: But I saw you with my own eyes!
Chicolini: Well, who you gonna believe, me or your own eyes?

From "The Wizard of Oz", 1939:
Wizard of Oz: Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!

“Abstractions ending in “-ism” are hobbies for people who have time for them.” - Fred Reed

[willsweeney]

We do have a problem with garbage on our commercial streets in Jackson Heights. Some members of the Western Jackson Heights Alliance have been focusing on this problem. To solve this issue, members of the WJHA have started by building relationships with the merchants and businesses in the area. In addition to working with local business interests, the WJHA has connected with city agencies. In June, the WJHA had a town hall meeting with the director of Community Outreach for the Department of Sanitation. As a result of this meeting, we were able to get more garbage cans on 73rd and 74th Street.

However, more garbage cans are not enough. The problem appears to be multi-faceted. The most chronically dirty streets are also the most active. Most of the businesses in this area are small operations with limited labor resources. In addition, the city has allowed for street vendors without provisions for additional sanitation services. I believe that the best way to combat dirty streets in our area is for a coordinated and consistent program that cleans sidewalks, streets and other public areas.  The WJHA recently partnered with the Jackson Heights Community Journal to apply for the NYC Clean Streets program for Jackson Heights.

The NYC Clean Streets program www.nyc.gov/cleanstreets is designed to help communities combat dirty streets. NYC Clean Streets is a new initiative, the goal of which is to develop the capacity of neighborhood-based organizations in commercial districts throughout the City. Through NYC Clean Streets, the Small Business Services Dept offers a comprehensive sanitation and maintenance program to selected local neighborhood organizations and engages those organizations in a capacity-building relationship so that they will be able to independently manage and finance the program after two years.

Under the program, the cost for supplemental sanitation and maintenance services will be provided entirely by the City in the first year of the program and on a matching basis in the second year, with the City contributing 75% of the sanitation and maintenance program costs and selected organizations contributing 25%. Over the course of the second year of the program, organizations will be required to raise 100% of the cost for supplemental sanitation services in the third year.

I believe that the Clean Streets program would be a perfect fit for our area. It would be paid for by the city for the first year and then gradually the cost of the program would be absorbed by local businesses. The application was filed two weeks ago and we will find out if JH is included by June of this year. Practically, if JH gets the program, it would be a tremendous help. The program would add two full-time street cleaners to the area five days a week. The program would help arrange additional sanitation pick-ups, more garbage cans, and an educational outreach program for merchants.

If anyone is interested in helping out with this program or other initiatives, email us at info@wjha.org.

[Chuckster]

Is there any truth to claims that the merchants on 74th Street have not demonstrated an interest in forming a BID?  If so, why?  While the NYC Clean Streets initiative sounds like a viable solution for the future, I still don't understand why some of the larger merchants, such as Patel and Jackson Diner simply cannot clean the streets directly in front of their businesses on a regular basis.  I can't imagine that a daily, simple sweep or hose down of the street would be that costly.  Or is this just too naive of a plan?

[judibean]

I've also seen some seriously gross stuff on the sidewalks during my early morning walk along 74th St to the train station.  Is it possible that what we're seeing is the result of sloppy garbage collection the night before that hasn't had a chance to be hosed down yet by the store owners because they haven't shown up yet?  I find it hard to believe that that kind of stuff is still there by late morning when restaurants are preparing to open for lunch.  If I were a restaurant patron and I saw something that looked like massive amounts of puke in front of a restaurant, I would choose to go to another restaurant.  I'm just saying maybe what we're seeing in the early morning is probably being addressed when we're at work.  By the time I come home in the late afternoon, there's no sign of the nastiness from the morning.

[Brian]

Will, thank you for your information about WJHA activities.  I hope we get the service.  By the way, since you seem to be familiar more with this issue, I am wondering if you have contacted 74th Street Merchants Organization about the garbage issue.  And if you did, what was their stance or reaction to this issue?  Have you invited them to one of your meetings?

[Bryan]

Will, thank you for your information about WJHA activities.  I hope we get the service.  By the way, since you seem to be familiar more with this issue, I am wondering if you have contacted 74th Street Merchants Organization about the garbage issue.  And if you did, what was their stance or reaction to this issue?  Have you invited them to one of your meetings?

Hi Brian,

The Community Journal of Jackson Heights organization submitted a proposal to the NYC Clean Streets program for increased sanitation services on 73rd and 74th streets between 37th and Roosevelt Avenues (Will Sweeney explained the program in an earlier post in this thread).  WJHA is a lead partner in this initiative and we have support from other groups and many businesses that are members of the 74th Street Merchants Association.  Individual business owners are responding very positively to making financial contributions to tackle and reduce the sanitation problems in our neighborhood's gateway.  Moving forward we will continue to work to (1) obtain more endorsements and support from neighborhood institutions, (2) create increased collaborations that enable private-public partnerships to keep our streets clean and safe, and (3) to increase community education and participation around ways to minimize and prevent problems from occuring in the first place.  There are many ways that community members can join on-going efforts whether its volunteering with WJHA, the Jackson Heights Film and Food Festival, JHBG, the Community Journal and on and on and on.

Bryan Pu-Folkes
p.s. the next edition of the Community Journal should be coming out next week!

[Greentea822]

Has anyone noticed that for the past few days the sidewalk in front of Jackson Diner has been clear? Don't know if it's a coincidence or if someone read these posts, but yay for them if they decided to take responsibility for their mess. 

[Dawnie]

Garbage on the street is one thing but, yesterday I was VERY UPSET when I saw a woman (I shouldn't even give her that title) holding her 2 or 3yr old son next to her Mercedes Benz and letting him urinate on the street like some animal.  I was appalled by this and said something to her.  I don't understand why anyone would do this especially when it was in front of a food store (Trade Fair) and across the street are several stores the Mother could have taken her son into use there facilities.  Of course I said something but as I did so, I twisted my ankle (and had to get home asap because the twist was pretty bad) enough about me, I just don't understand why people from different Countries come into this Country and make it dirty when they have so many choices to keep it clean?  Is it just ignorance or laziness?  All I know is I was raised a very different way.

[toddg]

I agree it's disgusting.  They're complaining about the same thing on the Park Slope Forum, but not blaming it on foreigners.

[Dawnie]

Thanks Todd for understanding.  I have to say I have seen this two other times but, I always make sure I say something to these people so they understand.  A few people act like they don't understand "English" so I will use my hands to describe what they are doing as wrong.  I really feel people in all cultures know right from wrong. It's just sad that they don't care enough to do the right thing.  I don't know what else there is to do?

[toddg]

Sorry, but I'm not agreeing with the association of this problem with culture.  I agree that public urination is a problem -- it's a particularly bad problem in Travers Park.  But in my experience, inconsiderate people (and children with inconvenient bladder timing) come from all cultures... I prefer to criticize the behavior.