Blight Fight Turns 3

Operation Clean Sweep has cleaned up more than a million pounds of trash in three years. Savannah still has blight but neighbors say the program is making a difference.
 
Today is not the actual anniversary of Operation Clean Sweep, that passed on January 10^th but today was the day the City of Savannah picked to celebrate the anti-blight program.

Just looking at the numbers, its easy to see why leaders are proud of the effort.
 
662.73 Tons of trash removed
5,116 Tires removed
1,713 derelict vehicles removed
1,243 Vacant lots cut
 
However as City Manager Michael Brown ran through those statistics during a ceremony on a vacant lot in West Savannah this morning, one could see empty food containers and discarded cans littering the ground right across the street.
 
The Clean Sweep program was the brainchild of former Assistant City Manager Israel Small. He decided to focus all the city’s resources, from Property Maintenance to Police on the problem of cleaning up neighborhoods. The program attacks a different neighborhood every other week and is above all else a very visible sign of the city’s dedication to cleaning up blight.
 
Clean Sweep works quite well as far as cleaning up the targeted sections of neighborhoods, but leaders admit the areas don’t stay clean for long. So far, they’ve hit more than 30, some more than twice. In most, you would not have a hard time finding litter, blight and derelict cars today but neighbors say they do see a difference long after their neighborhood has been swept.
 
“I think people have become more vigilant about reporting things,” explains long time West Savannah activist Pam Oglesby. “I know that our community pride and camaraderie is growing.”
 
Neighborhood President Kenneth R. Dunham Sr. sees it too. “Most of all the neighbors are responding to it," he says, "and I know from experience because I know how it was just a few years ago to how it is now. They're doing an excellent job and I want them to keep up the work.”
 
Current Assistant City Manager Rochelle Small-Toney is a big believer in the program and has added new levels of blight reduction including a monthly Property Maintenance violations blitz. She says the city efforts should remind us that we are each responsible for our little corner of the community. “Clean Sweep has, I think, elevated peoples understanding about what their responsibilities are for their property.” She adds that even renters are beginning to get the message that their action or inaction can harm the neighbors.
 
Oglesby says the Clean Sweep program gives her hope for a better tomorrow. “We got a long way to go but if nothing else we do know the public officials have finally taken notice.”