Metro Philadelphia

The Summer 2026 One Philly, A United City Citywide Cleaning Program is hitting the streets, tackling litter, illegal dumping, graffiti and other quality-of-life issues.  

The program, announced by the city’s Office of Clean and Green Initiatives, began earlier this month and will run through July 31.

Now in its third year and fourth iteration, the initiative has delivered more than 350,000 quality-of-life services, according to city officials, adding that efforts support Mayor Cherelle Parker’s goal of making Philadelphia “the safest, cleanest, and greenest big city in America.”

“The program employs a proactive and holistic strategy to address many of the chronic quality of life issues that plague our neighborhoods,” Parker said. “There are over 12 departments and supporting agencies touching every city neighborhood and working collaboratively to deliver on my promise to end the nasty moniker of “Filthadelphia” once and for all.”

This summer’s campaign will focus on visible neighborhood improvements, including litter cleanup, illegal dumping remediation, graffiti removal, abandoned vehicle removal, vacant lot maintenance and nuisance property enforcement.

AlleyGators initiative

A new component of the initiative, dubbed “AlleyGators,” will expand city services into alleyways that officials say are often overlooked but critical to public safety.

Under the new Alleyway Cleanup Program, residents can request limited supplemental alley cleanings to address litter, debris and blocked access points. Each alley will be eligible for one cleaning per year. While maintenance responsibilities will still fall primarily on adjacent property owners, the city said the program is intended to help residents who struggle to maintain those spaces.

“Alleyways are a vital part of a community’s overall quality of life, but too often they are overlooked,” said Carlton Williams, director of the Office of Clean and Green Initiatives. “We know many residents face challenges maintaining these corridors, and this program is about delivering the kind of visible, neighborhood-level improvements people can see, touch, and feel.”

Residents can request service through the Office of Clean and Green Initiatives website.  

Citywide effort

The One Philly, United City Citywide Cleaning Program is now a standard, twice-yearly citywide operation, ensuring that every neighborhood receives comprehensive cleaning services, officials said. 

“This program helps build a cleaner, safer, more vibrant city,” said City Councilmember Quetcy Lozada, who represents the 7th District. “It’s about safety, pride, and quality of life.”

The initiative includes coordination among agencies and departments, including CLIP crews handling vacant lot maintenance and graffiti removal, abandoned vehicle removal by the parking authority and police,  Licenses and Inspections nuisance property enforcement, pothole repair and paving by the Streets Department, as well as school and transit cleaning efforts conducted by the school district and SEPTA. 

Officials said crews will operate in coordinated teams across sanitation districts using established routes to ensure citywide coverage.

Each participating agency will track and report service delivery to ensure transparency and accountability. Program data and results will be publicly available at officeofcleanandgreen.org, allowing residents to monitor progress in neighborhoods.

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