Press release for Cleanup August 29. 2009

The Harrisburg Young Professionals in conjunction with the neighbors of Emerald Street, Classic Landscaping, Bobcat Company, and York Waste Disposal is conducting a neighborhood clean up on 29 August 2009, from 9am-2pm. The clean up begins at the corner of North 6th and Emerald Streets in up-town Harrisburg. The effort is focused on cleaning up blighted properties and vacant lots.

The neighbors of Emerald Street have expanded their efforts over the last year to bring about change to their neighborhood. The clean up has recovered tons of trash that has plagued the neighborhood’s image since 2008. The philosophy is that a clean neighborhood will bring responsibility and ownership to the neighborhood, thus reducing crime. This effort has not gone unnoticed and has picked up momentum gaining the support of Harrisburg City council members and the Bureau of Neighborhood Services.

The latest success was realized on 29 July 2009 when the Bureau of Neighborhood Services demolished an abandoned and trash filled garage located at 2324 North 6th Street. This property sat as an eye sore, set afire several times, until the neighbors of Emerald Street took it upon themselves to make an effort to clean their neighborhood. Realizing they could not do it with out the support of the government, they sought out to directly find it. After many months the Bureau of neighborhood Services targeted the property for demolition and took it down in one afternoon.

The neighbors of Emerald Street are a unique group that takes the fight directly to the street. They are claiming their neighborhoods back from those that use it as a trash receptacle. They are bringing an attitude of pride and accomplishment. This grass roots effort is an example for all neighborhoods to emulate and the block will be a shining example of a “neighborhood.”