See Trash? This Northeast Queens Council Member Wants To Know

QUEENS, NY — Amid citywide complaints of trash-filled streets (and the rats that come with it), a northeast Queens politician is trying a new approach to keeping her district clean.

The initiative is simple: see a litter-strewn street or public space that could use an upgrade in District 23? Call Council Member Linda Lee's office, which represents the area, including parts of Bayside.

"I'm encouraging community members, local businesses, and anyone else to take part in beautifying our neighborhood by identifying locations for cleanup to my office," Lee said in a statement. "It is demoralizing to walk around the neighborhood and see heaps of trash piled on the side of the road and litter on the side of the road."

Once the Council Member's office has a list of dirty places, it will get started on cleaning with the help of the Department of Sanitation and The Association of Community Employment Programs for the Homeless (ACE), a workplace development program benefiting homeless New Yorkers.

DSNY will respond to areas where constituents report illegal dumping, while workers with ACE will focus on roadside cleanup and litter pickup, Lee's office said.

This cleanup initiative is the second in the Council Member's so-called Spring Cleaning Series.

Last week, Lee helped 15 businesses and public spaces get rid of graffiti during a graffiti cleanup planned with the Queens Economic Development Corporation.

"District 23 is home to some of New York City’s most beautiful public parks and open spaces, and ensuring they are clean and well-kept fosters a sentiment of pride of being a resident of Eastern Queens," she said.

District 23 residents who want to report illegal dumping, locations with significant litter pileup or locations in need of beautification can call Lee’s office at (718) 468-0137 or email District23@council.nyc.gov.