Manteca is working harder these days to clean up Manteca.

The city has retained Manteca Property Services to augment municipal crews’ efforts to remove discarded trash from streets, public places, and even Caltrans right-of-way along the 120 Bypass and Highway 99.

By contracting with the private sector firm, Manteca has been able to step up its removal of trash without having to hire additional part-time staff and incurring payroll liabilities and such.

City Manager Toni Lundgren noted it has helped the city to respond quicker to reported complaints about trash in public areas.

The private firm also retrieves discarded shopping carts, according to Lundgren.

They also will be called upon at times to assist with graffiti removal.

Municipal crews continue to remove trash as well.

For example, park crews are doing what they have been doing now for years — hitting Library Park and Wilson Park behind the Post Office early in the morning on a daily basis removing all traces of trash and such left behind by the homeless.

That involves discarded garbage and any feces left in shrubbery, among other things.

“A lot of people don’t see what (the homeless have left behind) when they go to use the parks (because city crews are making sure they don’t).” Lundgren said.

After going for over 16 years of not power washing crosswalks pavers and sidewalks in downtown and Library park, the city’s secured a private firm to start doing that on roughly a monthly basis.

The gritty look that plagued the downtown Manteca that occurred two decades ago, has basically been erased.

Then over a year ago, the city contracted with Inner City Action that had homeless they were helping get off the street make periodic sweeps of the downtown area.

The items they removed were typically trash left behind from homeless but it also involved illegal dumping by others involving used tires, furniture and other items.

When Inner City Action opted to concentrate on homeless outreach efforts in Lodi and His Way Recovery was retained to continue providing homeless services in Manteca, the non-profit wasn’t equipped to continue the work.

That is when the city opted to hire a local firm to continue doing the cleanups sweeps.

It has since expanded to include sidewalks, parks, bike paths, alleys, and homeless trash throughout the city.

 “Manteca Property Services also works with (Manteca Police) officers Mike Kelly and Matthew Smith to clean up piles of trash dumps, abandoned furniture, debris, etc. through Government Outreach Requests received by residents,” said Vielka Guarascio, Management Analyst, Office of the City Manager — Housing and Homeless Division.

  The clean-ups happen citywide Monday through Friday.  In addition,  Manteca Property Services cleans up the Caltrans property on the 120 Bypass and Highway 99 Tuesday through Thursday.

Recently, Manteca Property Services has been tasked with providing support for the city’s efforts in cleaning up the surroundings of homeless encampments.

Cleaning up actual illegal homeless encampments requires the city follow a court-mandated process.

Police will post a 72-hour notice of clean-up before items are removed from homeless encampments.  

Officers Kelly and Smith from Manteca’s Police Department Outreach Team will contact the inhabitants and offer them shelter at the City’s Homeless Shelter at 555 Industrial Park Drive, Guarascio explained.

 Additional outreach to the homeless conducted every other Tuesday involves Community Medical Centers, The Salvation Army, His Way Refuge Center – Outreach Team, PREVAIL, Love Inc., Crossroads Grace Church, and Calvary Church.

Those living unhoused, or at risk of becoming unhoused, are asked to call (209) 456-8556 to seek assistance in connecting with accessible resources and supportive services.

If you see trash on our streets, call the City Manager’s office at (209) 456-8000, email Feedback@manteca.gov, or go online to https://www.manteca.gov

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com