is atlanta a clean city? (neighborhood, rating, cell phone)

[SW30303]

It seems many have a different definition of what they considered "a clean city."

Compared to many other places, I would call Atlanta clean for the most part, Downtown is definitely spotty with foul odor, but I don't see a lot of debris often. I guess some equate dilapidated buildings with being dirty, but there are sections of Atlanta that are rather rough.

[residinghere2007]

Originally Posted by arjay57

Much of what you say matches my observations, but wouldn't you agree that many other parts of the city are pretty well maintained?

There are quite a few well maintained areas in Atlanta. I am not saying that at all, but since I don't live in those areas or go there much, I don't see much cleanliness. The same can be said of those who do live in the cleaner areas, they have no idea how dirty a large percentage of the city actually is and I do feel that the dirtier areas are more vast than the not so dirty, that is just from my own experience though of living here. Also the level of cleanliness and well groomed landscapes are just different in Atlanta IMO than the Midwest, at least in areas that I am from and where I visit often, like Chicago. My husband is from Chicago and grew up on the south side. My mother in law's neighborhood looks just as good as areas in VA Highlands here and Midtown and other more affluent areas of Atlanta and she lives in a pretty rough neighborhood. The same can be said of my aunt's neighborhood in west Detroit near 8 Mile.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by residinghere2007

There are quite a few well maintained areas in Atlanta. I am not saying that at all, but since I don't live in those areas or go there much, I don't see much cleanliness. The same can be said of those who do live in the cleaner areas, they have no idea how dirty a large percentage of the city actually is and I do feel that the dirtier areas are more vast than the not so dirty, that is just from my own experience though of living here. Also the level of cleanliness and well groomed landscapes are just different in Atlanta IMO than the Midwest, at least in areas that I am from and where I visit often, like Chicago. My husband is from Chicago and grew up on the south side. My mother in law's neighborhood looks just as good as areas in VA Highlands here and Midtown and other more affluent areas of Atlanta and she lives in a pretty rough neighborhood. The same can be said of my aunt's neighborhood in west Detroit near 8 Mile.

I hear what you're saying. I wonder why we're more trashed out here? Maybe folks just don't give a hoot.

[readyset]

Originally Posted by residinghere2007

There are quite a few well maintained areas in Atlanta. I am not saying that at all, but since I don't live in those areas or go there much, I don't see much cleanliness. The same can be said of those who do live in the cleaner areas, they have no idea how dirty a large percentage of the city actually is and I do feel that the dirtier areas are more vast than the not so dirty, that is just from my own experience though of living here. Also the level of cleanliness and well groomed landscapes are just different in Atlanta IMO than the Midwest, at least in areas that I am from and where I visit often, like Chicago. My husband is from Chicago and grew up on the south side. My mother in law's neighborhood looks just as good as areas in VA Highlands here and Midtown and other more affluent areas of Atlanta and she lives in a pretty rough neighborhood. The same can be said of my aunt's neighborhood in west Detroit near 8 Mile.

I found Atlanta to be neat, from the airport through the city. The only thing that made it look "dirty" was the lack of streetscaping (brick sidewalks and concrete in bad shape) and the above ground powerlines and poles. It's like the opposite of D.C. which has the best streetscaping I've ever seen but more trash/debris and bad smells than I'd expect. MARTA is much neater than METRO.

Atlanta is nowhere near the level of New York in being dirty and is neater than Miami, which also has worst looking industrial areas and ghettos close by.

[DeaconJ]

Atlanta is clean enough I guess...at times I see trash laying around on the streets and in other areas, but at other times I don't. Just like anywhere on Earth (including our homes), it will get dirty/messy at times and need a cleaning. I would say that enough attention is paid to cleaning up the city, with city/county governments doing some of it but it seems the majority of the clean up and beautification projects comes from volunteer groups and other associations that have "clean up days" occasionally. Clean up is not really left up to government IMO - it's up to the community to do most of it, as it should be.

[DTL3000]

Some areas are quite a bit trashier than others. Downtown, Midtown, and Buckhead are clean for the most part. The more affluent neighborhoods off the main thoroughfares naturally tend to be clean as well.

Things go downhill in other places. One particular stretch of Moreland Ave from I-20 to just about Little Five Points is constantly filthy. There are several piles of trash that have sat for months. In fact there is one particular pile that includes a big screen tv blocking the sidewalk right now. I'm sure it will be sitting there for weeks.

I wish this city would get serious about code enforcement outside certain neighborhoods.

[arjay57]

Citizens need to take responsibility for keeping their area of the city clean. Those parts of the city which are well kept are not that way because of something the city is doing, they're kept up by the people who live and have their businesses there. The converse is true, too.

The garbage trucks go all over the city. But it's up to the people who live there to put their garbage in the cans.

[DTL3000]

Originally Posted by arjay57

Citizens need to take responsibility for keeping their area of the city clean. Those parts of the city which are well kept are not that way because of something the city is doing, they're kept up by the people who live and have their businesses there. The converse is true, too.

The garbage trucks go all over the city. But it's up to the people who live there to put their garbage in the cans.

That's true but shouldn't the city fine the hell out of a property owner if trash is constantly piled in front of their property?The particular spot I'm harping on looks like a rental property situation with a landlord who's evicted several tenants over the past year or so and thinks it's cool to just pile their junk right outside on the street. The trash sits out there for weeks and this is a pretty busy sidewalk close to the Edgewood retail district. It blocks almost the entire sidewalk.

The garbage trucks should at least pick it up rather than letting it sit there for weeks or months. God forbid the garbage men actually pick up trash. What do we pay these high taxes for again?

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by DTL3000

That's true but shouldn't the city fine the hell out of a property owner if trash is constantly piled in front of their property?

Er, they'll be glad to do it, but somebody's got to get off their duff and pick up the phone or go online.

Call your Code Compliance Officer. (They all have city supplied cell phones and you can reach them directly). Or call the main office:

Bureau of Code Compliance
55 Trinity Avenue
Suite 3450
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
Mike Renshaw
Director
Tel: 404.330.6190
Fax: 404.546.8266
mrenshaw@atlantaga.gov


Go to this web page, and either report the problem by phone, fax in a complaint form, or submit it online.

City of Atlanta Online (http://tinyurl.com/394vcz - broken link)

Call your Community Prosecutor or your assigned DA. Fulton County District Attorney's Office - Public Affairs (http://tinyurl.com/2v3akjs - broken link)

Call the president of your NPU. Sounds like that's probably NPU-O, but if not they can straighten you out. http://tinyurl.com/3xyzj44 (broken link)

Call your local APD precinct -- that should be Zone 6:
Atlanta Police Department
2025 Hosea L. Williams Dr. S.E.
Atlanta, Georgia
Office: 404-371-5002
Fax: 404-378-6554

Of course there's always the old call-the-owner technique.

In other words, kick up some sand. Get involved in your community. Raise some hell until something gets done.

That's life in the city.

[DTL3000]

Originally Posted by arjay57

Er, they'll be glad to do it, but somebody's got to get off their duff and pick up the phone or go online.

Call your Code Compliance Officer. (They all have city supplied cell phones and you can reach them directly). Or call the main office:

Bureau of Code Compliance
55 Trinity Avenue
Suite 3450
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
Mike Renshaw
Director
Tel: 404.330.6190
Fax: 404.546.8266
mrenshaw@atlantaga.gov


Go to this web page, and either report the problem by phone, fax in a complaint form, or submit it online.

City of Atlanta Online (http://tinyurl.com/394vcz - broken link)

Call your Community Prosecutor or your assigned DA. Fulton County District Attorney's Office - Public Affairs (http://tinyurl.com/2v3akjs - broken link)

Call the president of your NPU. Sounds like that's probably NPU-O, but if not they can straighten you out. http://tinyurl.com/3xyzj44 (broken link)

Call your local APD precinct -- that should be Zone 6:
Atlanta Police Department
2025 Hosea L. Williams Dr. S.E.
Atlanta, Georgia
Office: 404-371-5002
Fax: 404-378-6554

Of course there's always the old call-the-owner technique.

In other words, kick up some sand. Get involved in your community. Raise some hell until something gets done.

That's life in the city.

You mean I gotta do all the work?!!!

Just kidding. I really appreciate this contact info. I've been meaning to do something about it and a combination of not know who to go to and laziness has prevented me from doing so up to this point.

From this day on, and thanks to you, I am truly a civic-minded man.