Warren’s “Operation Clean Sweep”
Population: 10,000+
Warren, Michigan, Michigan’s third-largest city, implemented a program to improve Warren’s older neighborhoods, where blight had lowered property values and led many residents to move. We initiated a well-organized program of intensive house-to-house and business-to-business inspections and cleanup in older neighborhoods.
We established a task force of representatives from city departments, including police, public service, building, property maintenance, sanitation and communications. Task force members recommended “Operation: Clean Sweep,” a neighborhood-by-neighborhood, street-by-street, house-by-house, weeklong sweep of targeted neighborhoods.
A special brochure was prepared to warn citizens that clean sweep was coming to their neighborhoods. Mailed to every address in the area – addresses came from the city’s assessing department – the brochure told residents and businesses that the community police and city inspectors were on their way. The brochure was mailed one week before the sweep to give residents an opportunity to clean their properties.
Replicability:
By establishing a task force of representatives from city departments, including police, public service, building, property maintenance, sanitation and communications. Once the first Operation Clean Sweep was organized in 2008, it was easy to replicate each year from April through October because all departments knew their roles.Creativity and Originality:
Warren's Operation Clean Sweep was the brainchild of Mayor Jim Fouts who had two goals when he got elected as Mayor in late 2007 and that was to have cleaner and safer neighborhoods. This program is the first of its kind here and has been written up in publications as well as recognized by a national organization, The United States Conference of Mayors.Community Impact:
Operation Clean Sweep made a difference. City departments shared the same goal and their roles were clear and didn’t overlap. Residents of older neighborhoods appreciated knowing that their governing officials care. Building community pride takes time and effort, and making the effort to have cleaner neighborhoods is a major factor in building pride.
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