BALTIMORE, MD (Tuesday, July 8, 2025) - Today, Mayor Brandon M. Scott announced the inaugural Charm City Cleanup Initiative. This project is Baltimore's most ambitious citywide cleaning initiative in decades, focused on cleaning public spaces and encouraging residents' pride and ownership of their neighborhoods.

"Baltimore has the best Public Works, Rec and Parks, Transportation and Clean Corps workers in the nation - but keeping our city beautiful can't just be up to them," said Mayor Brandon M. Scott. "It takes every single one of us doing our part to make sure Baltimore is the cleanest and healthiest she can be, every single day. Charm City Cleanup is an opportunity for all Baltimoreans to roll up their sleeves and show love to their neighborhoods. As always, I'll be participating, and I look forward to seeing everybody out there doing their part."

This coordinated effort combines proactive government services, community engagement, and cross-agency collaboration. To usher in Charm City's New Culture of Clean, every single neighborhood in Baltimore will be visited by the city agency and partner cleanup crews to address resident service requests and proactively clean neighborhoods. Neighbors will be encouraged to report issues to 311, volunteer for cleaning events across the city, and coordinate cleanups in their own neighborhoods. City crews will be in every corner of the city, and residents will be able to follow their progress through public maps showing when and where crews are working. The Charm City Cleanup Initiative emphasizes a collaborative approach: Our Streets, Our Neighborhoods, Our Baltimore.

"We've focused a lot on strengthening city services in a way that residents can see the impact of every day," said Faith Leach, Chief Administrative Officer. "The Charm City Cleanup Initiative is the next big step in that effort to showcase the tangible results that our frontline workers deliver on a daily basis, and to get residents involved right in their own neighborhoods. We've done City services sprints and neighborhood clean-ups before, but this initiative will bring together city agencies and communities to chart a new era for so many of our neighborhoods."

"At Recreation and Parks, we know that a clean city is a beautiful city - and our Forestry Division plays a critical role in making that vision a reality," said Dr. Reginald Moore, Executive Director of Baltimore City Recreation & Parks. "From trimming overgrown branches to maintaining tree pits along our streets, our team works block by block to help restore beauty and a sense of pride in our neighborhoods. The Charm City Cleanup Initiative is a powerful example of what's possible when city agencies come together around a shared goal, of not just cleaning up, but helping to beautify and strengthen communities."

"The Charm City Cleanup is an important step forward for Baltimore," said Matthew Garbark, Acting Director of the Department of Public Works. "DPW is committed to doing our part - clearing streets and alleys, cleaning storm drains, removing graffiti, and addressing illegal dumping. This initiative is about more than just cleaning up. It's about working together with residents to take care of our neighborhoods and build a stronger sense of community across the city."

"Charm City Cleanup is more than a one-day event, it's a reflection of our commitment to the everyday work that keeps Baltimore safe, functional and full of pride," said Director Veronica P. McBeth, MSL, Baltimore City Department of Transportation. "Whether it's clearing storm drains or filling potholes, these efforts improve quality of life and help our neighborhoods and residents thrive."

"The Clean Corps team is excited to deepen the work of serving city residents through collaborative efforts to clean and beautify Baltimore's most underinvested neighborhoods," said Assistant Director Nichole Stewart, Department of Planning, Clean Corps. "In the Charm City Cleanup, Clean Corps will provide expanded proactive service, support community pitch-in days, and spread awareness of proper trash etiquette on specific blocks with residential trash related challenges."

Every Baltimore City neighborhood will be cleaned during the Charm City Cleanup. Baltimore City will be segmented into 17 clusters of neighborhoods. Baltimore City agencies and Charm City Cleanup partners will service every cluster, one week at a time. Major and minor nuisances will be addressed through a strategic combination of completing 311 service requests and proactive work. City agencies will deploy crews to complete 311 service requests on the same schedule in each cluster, while Clean Corps partners will proactively clean neighborhoods with the highest need. Resident volunteers can organize community cleanups supported by the Charm City Cleanup teams. Residents who need support in doing their part to keep their own blocks clean will be connected to resources.

Residents should report issues for service online, by calling 311, or downloading the 311 app on your Android or Apple device. These service requests will inform much of the work performed by the agencies and partners. Completions of service requests and proactive work will be tracked on the Verbosity platform, Baltimore City's technology partner for the Charm City Cleanup Initiative.

For more information Baltimoreans can visit the Charm City Cleanup website at www.baltimorecity.gov/charm-city-clean

The website features the neighborhood cluster schedule and will include a dashboard tracking work completed under this initiative.