San Diego’s Enhanced Hot Spot Program has removed more than 1,000 tons of waste from around homeless encampments in less than a year since it began, it was announced Tuesday.
“Through this program, we are providing an enhanced level of service,” said Renee Robertson, director of the city’s Environmental Services Department. “Our Hot Spot crews are busy seven days a week making San Diego sidewalks and streets cleaner and safer for everyone.”
The ESD dispatches Hot Spot crews “to remove waste and large litter from the public right of way in areas most heavily affected by waste discarded by unsheltered people,” a city statement reads.
The program started as a pilot in the fall of 2022 and in the first eight weeks, crews removed more than 140 tons of waste at 900 locations, the city said. The program became permanent this spring.
According to the city, while the crews work around and directly adjacent to encampments, they do not “assist or conduct encampment abatements or directly address active or inactive encampments.” Separate ESD crews and outreach workers are tasked with that job.
–City News Service
