@Atsushi - Would you mind if I used one of your wife's photos to accompany a link to the Friends of VVP fundraising page on my Facebook? They are so gorgeous. If so, let me know how I should credit it. Thanks!

Also, I know the Harsimus Cove Neighborhood Association hosts regular "Litter Patrols" where members focus their cleanup efforts on a few blocks at a time and do a really great job. The patrols are generally posted on the Association's calendar page here - http://www.harsimuscove.org/calendar. The last one was this past Saturday and they're typically about every two weeks or so, so another one should be happening soon. Hopefully the more that residents see people out and about beautifying the neighborhood, the more they will think about keeping their own streets clean.

Definitely report violations through the JC gov website-

http://mygovhelp.com/JERSEYCITYNJ/_cs/RequestSelect.aspx

They're usually pretty decent with following up on service requests. However, that will only solve individual incidents ... to move towards a city-wide change I suggest emailing or writing to the city council and demanding that the ordinances governing sidewalk maintenance be enforced. The public can also speak during all city council meetings - the schedule can be found here - http://www.cityofjerseycity.com/meetings-calendar.aspx We can, and should, demand answers from the council members in a public forum as to why enforcement is not a city priority, particularly in times of budget crisis such as this. The ordinances can also be cited to store or restaurant owners who fail to keep their property up to code. The relevant ordinances (as found on Municode.com) are as follows:

---------------------------------------------------------------------

CHAPTER 296 - Streets and Sidewalks

? 296-8. - Dirty and littered condition prohibited.

No owner, occupant or person acting as an agent, janitor or superintendent in charge of any house, apartment, office building, store, stand, factory, garage or other type of building or vacant lot or lots shall maintain and allow the sidewalk or any part of the front or sides of such premises, facing upon any street, to be in a dirty and littered condition at any time

? 296-9. - Definitions.

As used in this Article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:

DIRTY AND LITTERED CONDITION - The sidewalk or any part of the front of any premises facing upon any public street shall be construed to be in a "dirty and littered condition" where there exists thereon, littered, dispersed or scattered about, any accumulation of dirt, dust, ashes, straw, shavings, sweepings, garbage, refuse, tree or shrubbery leaves, bark, branches or twigs, animal or vegetable matter, fruit peels, skins or parts thereof, wood, metal, old rags, waste, bottles or broken glass, newspapers, magazines or books or pages or parts thereof, other printed material, torn pieces of paper, cardboard and the like, wrappings, bags, containers, string, cigar or cigarette butts or parts thereof, matches or any other discarded matter, all of which shall be regarded as refuse, and any combination or accumulation thereof.

SIDEWALK - The entire ground or space from the established or actual building line to the curb of the public street in front of any building or vacant lot or on the sides thereof, if same is a corner property, facing on two or more public streets, and shall include any right-of-way, public or private, used by the public.

? 296-10. - Duty of owners, occupants and workers; depositing materials in streets or gutters.

A.
Any owner, occupant or any person acting as agent, janitor or superintendent in charge of any property shall regularly sweep, brush and otherwise clean the sidewalk and any part of the front or sides thereof facing upon a public street; provided, however, that the owner, occupant or person in charge of any store, factory, office, building, garage, stand or other commercial property shall sweep, brush or otherwise clean the sidewalk and any part of the front or sides thereof facing upon a public street daily, except Sundays, preferably at the closing hours.

B.
No owner, occupant or person in charge of such property, or any person undertaking for hire or otherwise to sweep, brush and otherwise clean said refuse, shall sweep any refuse, sweepings or residue thereof into or upon the gutter or any part of a public street and deposit or leave same therein or thereupon.

C.
No person or firm who, for hire or otherwise, performs any work in front of any premises shall leave same in a dirty and littered condition, but shall remove said refuse pursuant to the provisions of this Article.

? 296-11. - Areas of property to be kept clean.

No owner, occupant or person in charge of any property shall fail or refuse to sweep, brush and otherwise clean and remove refuse from any and all vestibules, entrances, passageways, stoops, cellar steps, courtyards, frontal or otherwise, or porches of any building, store, office or factory; entrances on the sidewalk in front of any show or store window or exterior show or display cases; driveway or delivery, receiving, shipping or loading platform; or theater, hall or auditorium entrance or fire exit of any nature. No such person shall maintain or allow to exist in connection therewith a dirty and littered condition, as defined in this Article, and under no circumstances shall the owner, occupant or person in charge of any property or any person who undertakes, for hire or otherwise, the sweeping and cleaning of the interior of any building or store sweep any refuse therefrom into the sidewalk.

? 296-12. - Cleaning by city; costs.

In the event that the person owning the property cannot be located within the limits of the city, or any such owner fails or refuses to comply with this Article, the Department of Public Works, at the direction of the Director, upon two days' notice, may undertake to sweep, brush and clean said sidewalk and charge the actual labor expense thereof to the owner by including same in the owner's next annual tax bill.

? 296-13. - Notices to property owner.

All notices to owners herein provided for may be signed by a person designated by the Director of the Department of Public Works in the name of the Director of the Department, and such notices may be posted upon the property or mailed to the owner's address as it appears on the tax records of the city, and for all purposes of this Article, the owner shall be considered as the person under the primary obligation to comply herewith.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Cite these in your correspondence and demand answers as to why they are not being properly enforced!