Drop-in and visit one of our Neighborhood Clean-up Events. No need to sign up. If you have time, grab some litter pickers or graffiti removal supplies and help transform your neighborhood in a couple of hours. These neighborhood-focused events will move around the City each month to target specific clean-up needs. Environmental Services staff will be present at these events to provide information and answer questions about how to keep our neighborhoods clean. Throughout the year, various City departments will join the event to feature current programs/projects and answer neighborhood questions.
2023
- Sat. September 16th – 9am-noon – Westside Neighborhood
- Sat. August 12th – 9am-noon – San Roque Neighborhood – Meet at the corner of State and De La Vina
- Sat. July 15th – 9am-noon – Eastside Neighborhood
- June – Eastside Neighborhood
- May – Parque de Los Ninos
- April – Pershing Park
- March – Cacique & Alisos
- February – Bohnett Park
- January – Euclid Ave Neighborhood
2022
- December – Holiday break, no clean-up.
- November 12th – Pershing Park Neighborhood
- October 22nd – Ortega Park
- September 17th – Cacique & Alisos
- August 27th – Bohnett Park
Questions? Call (805) 564-5627.
Adopt-A-Block Program
The Adopt-A-Block program is a volunteer effort dedicated to keeping Santa Barbara neighborhoods clean, beautiful, and free from graffiti and litter. Residents within Santa Barbara city limits are eligible for free clean-up supplies, including graffiti remover, safety equipment, litter grabbers, and trash bags when they adopt a block or area.
Participating in the program can be done in just 5 easy steps:
1. Please read the Program Guidelines document and fill out and return both the permit application and the safety guidelines forms either via email at cleansb@santabarbaraca.gov or via mail to:
Clean SB Program
Environmental Services Division
1221 Anacapa Street – 2nd Floor
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
2. Indicate your proposed clean-up area on the forms or within the email.
3. Receive an email providing you with the location of the City’s storage unit and access information. Gloves, brooms, garbage bags, graffiti removal kits, litter pick-up sticks, dustpans and safety vests are stocked in the unit. Access the unit whenever you need more supplies.
4. There are no time commitments and you can clean your block whenever you want, daily, weekly, etc. Any volunteer hours that you can commit to keeping your block and neighborhood clean is greatly appreciated.
5. Trash can be placed in your own trash can, in a city trash can (if it won’t overflow the container) or contact us for pick-up of larger quantities. All trash pick-up must be related to clean-up of public areas.
For additional program questions please reference the Program Guidelines or call (805) 564-5631.
Additional City Adopt-A Programs:
Adopt-A-Creek (Creeks Division)
Adopt-A-Park (Parks & Recreation Department)
Each year, the City sponsors a large Citywide volunteer clean-up event. The event welcomes volunteers of all ages with safe clean-up and beautification projects, including litter pick-up, graffiti removal, abandoned shopping cart retrieval, tree plantings and painting projects. The next event is in development for 2023.
Let the City help you coordinate a group clean-up activity. Each year, we work with a variety of groups, such as schools, businesses, service groups, neighborhood associations and groups of neighbors to coordinate a clean-up day (litter pick-up, graffiti removal, etc.). Groups can choose a date that works best for them and select specific neighborhoods or areas and we will provide the supplies!
If you are interested, please email us at cleansb@santabarbaraca.gov with the following information:
Volunteer Clean-up Request
Name
Phone Number
Email
Type of Group
Estimated Group Size
Preferred Clean-Up Date
The City of Santa Barbara is proud to sponsor an opportunity for youth groups to earn funds while cleaning up their community. The fundraiser is available to official youth groups (e.g. school clubs/teams, church youth groups, youth sports teams, youth service groups, etc.) Participating groups are provided with clean-up equipment and assigned to a neighborhood for three hours to clean up litter and remove graffiti. Events are typically held on Saturdays from 9am-12pm.
A payment of $25 per participant will be donated to the organization. The maximum payment is $500. Larger groups will still receive equipment and supplies, but no additional funds. Supervision of students is the responsibility of each group. Youth groups must have a vehicle to pick-up and return supplies to the City’s storage location.
All groups must provide the following:
- Certificate of Insurance & Endorsement additionally insuring the City of Santa Barbara for two million dollars in general liability. This document is due two weeks before the event.
- A Letter of Understanding signed by an official of your organization agreeing to the terms of the program. This document is due two weeks before the event.
- A Hold Harmless Form must be signed and provided for every person participating in the event (including adult participants and supervisors). These forms are due 3 days before the event.
Other Clean SB Programs
The SB Clean Program joins residents, City staff, and community representatives with the #CleanSB mission to reduce waste (reduce, reuse, recycle and compost) and contribute to a clean community through graffiti and litter abatement.
Illegal Dumping
Illegal dumping is the placement of unwanted items in locations other than the owner’s trash or recycling containers. If you see items that have been illegally dumped please use our illegal dumping hotline and forms to help keep our community clean.