Reflection on 365 Days of Clean and Safe

Lists are popular this time of year, as our favorite apps tell us what content we’ve been watching or listening to the most, and which content we should make time to binge over the holidays. While it’s a time for reflecting, I hope for many of you, it’s a time to be present and grateful – whether here in the Social District or away with family and friends.  

 

Because the BID operates 365 days a year, our hospitality ambassadors and clean teams often spend holidays together working throughout the district.  On Thanksgiving, we provided the team with dinner from a local restaurant during their break, and on Christmas Day we’ll make sure the team on duty has some holiday cheer as well.  

 

This year, our ambassadors and clean team have done an incredible job.  Whether it was mitigating the neighborhood impacts of the Oceanwide tagging, supporting neighborhood events like the Farmers’ Market, or being a vigilant presence in the aftermath of the Dodgers World Series victory, our team has stepped up beyond the call of their day-to-day duty to maintain the standards of our district. In keeping with the preferred format of the season, we computed the data, and compiled a list of how they’ve contributed to our recognition as a clean and safe neighborhood in DTLA this year:

 

• Our team was out on patrol for 54,912 hours.

• We collected 30,963 trash bags this year.

• 774,075 lbs. of trash have been disposed.

• We removed 195,976 sqft of graffiti – even with an uptick early in the year because of Oceanwide, there was less graffiti than in 2023.

• 1,261,564 sqft of pressure washing throughout the district.

• Our ambassadors responded to 1,583 calls for service.

• We performed 3,612 welfare checks.  

 

Marketing, placemaking, economic development, and advocacy, are important responsibilities in addition to public safety.  Over 1,000 postcards were mailed from our Spark Spots, spreading joy from our neighborhood to places as far away as Hong Kong and Paris.  Our Farmers’ Market reached 72 consecutive Saturdays and celebrated a One Year Anniversary.  

 

At the same time as we continue to invest in new ways to increase activity and create vibrancy, we continue to invest much more in our Clean and Safe program than at any other time in our history.  Last year we allocated 66% of our resources to our Clean and Safe programs, and in 2025 we will spend $2.8 million on these programs, representing nearly a 10% increase.  

 

Our team of ambassadors consist of 26 individuals, led by our Director of Operations, Victor Gonzales. During this season of lists and reflections, there is no best list, gratitude list, or nice list, that’s complete without their inclusion. Their holiday present to the Social District is their presence – 365 days a year, including Christmas.