Does anyone else hear that dog whistle?

I think it's a combination of things:

1. Lack of local government funding to provide resources and support services to keep areas clean and maintained I.e., Montclair Ave. and Broadway are covered in litter. Just adding garbage cans to the end of each block and ensuring that they are maintained by the city's sanitation services could help with future littering. 

2. Community mentality Some people believe that nothing will change. Some people feel overwhelmed by it and will give up before trying. Others are used to it and might not realize that they deserve better. Also, the areas that are hit the hardest are those with low incomes. It's hard to prioritize the safety and cleanliness of your surroundings when living paycheck to paycheck and focusing on trying to survive. 

3. Newark needs better infrastructure and sanitation regulations. Apartment buildings need to provide residents with better sanitation options and have the proper amount of resources to keep up with the sanitation created. 

Two examples of inadequate sanitation practices displayed by apartment buildings

Forest Hill Apartments has fewer than 10 dumpsters, and they are filled to capacity before garbage day arrives. Another issue is that the locations are inconvenient for some, so dropping off garbage in front of someone else's house (which is really effin rude) is more appealing than walking a few blocks to drop off a 13-liter bag of trash.

The apartment building on Verona Ave. and Beaumont (near the daycare) has residents toss their trash in regular-sized garbage cans, which they leave in the front of the building until garbage day. This attracts rodents and can easily become a hazmat situation. Just because this apartment building isn't as large as the Forest Hills apartments does not mean it shouldn't invest in better practices for disposing trash.

Of course, there are those who feel entitled to litter, but ultimately, it comes down to what the Newark government prioritizes, which sadly does not include the health of its residents.

Edited for grammar and spelling.

I'm not a student, but I would be interested in helping this initiative. Honestly, at this point the community needs to step up and take care of their surroundings. T

Also, I'd recommend connecting with future potential candidates who would be interested in supporting activities like this. I'm currently working with Mothers Demand Action and seeing if Sheila Montague (ran against Baraka in the last election) would be willing to help with the efforts in tackling the rising gun violence happening in Newark.

Newark has so much potential but the lack of government support and the lackadaisical attitude many residents have prevented it from growing.