Philly launches the AlleyGators, a new program cleaning up dirty, clogged alleyways

This year, spring cleaning may begin in the dirty alleyway outside your home.

City officials launched the latest citywide cleaning program from McPherson Park on Monday, Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s signature program aiming to clean every neighborhood twice per year.

In its third year, this season’s 13-week cleanliness surge comes with a new reptilian-themed focus.

Posing in front of city officials were members of AlleyGators, a new program from the Office of Clean and Green initiatives that intends to clean and clear debris from 300 alleyways per year. The program allows residents to request alleyway cleanings that address trash, illegal dumping, and other accessibility and safety concerns.

To request an alley cleaning and find more information about the initiative, residents can visit officeofcleanandgreen.org/alleyways.

“Alleyways are a safety exit to our homes, and while they are the responsibility of the residents, sometimes alleyways just get so overwhelmed with trash that residents don’t have the ability to be able to do it themselves,“ said Councilmember Quetcy Lozada, whose district includes McPherson Park and Kensington.

“If your alleyway is dirty, if your alleyway doesn’t have a light, if your alleyway needs attention, call us. Call us. We want to be able to be supportive. We want our neighborhoods to be safe,” she said.

The city previously has been cleaning alleyways and accepting related submissions through 311, but AlleyGators will formalize the process and make it easier for residents to track their requests, according to Carlton Williams, director of the Office of Clean and Green Initiatives. There are about 16,000 private alleyways across the entire city.

“This is going to be the one-stop shop for alleyway cleaning,” he said.

Williams said clean alleyways are both a safety and quality-of-life issue. When they’re clogged, alleyways become fire hazards and limit access to homes for residents and first responders. Once cleared, alleyways can become valuable pieces of private property for cookouts and other activities, he said.

AlleyGators will be funded by city’s existing budget, and will employ 40 members from the Future Track program dedicated to alley cleanups. Workers from the city’s Community Life Improvement Program will assist.

AlleyGators will only clean individual alleys once per year, and Williams said residents have a responsibility to keep them clean after crews have finished their work.

“We can’t keep coming back to an alley and cleaning it because we got so many other areas and responsibilities to take care of. But we want residents to be committed,” he said.

With the rest of the citywide cleanup launching alongside the AlleyGators’ debut campaign, including the deployment of extra workers addressing litter, street sweeping and focused attention on illegal dumping, abandoned cars and potholes, Williams asked residents to do their part to keep things clean.

He urged residents to let the city know the locations of problem areas, instead of complaining nonspecifically on social media.

“Give us the opportunity to work with you,” he said.