Access and Use of Neighborhood
Blight Reduction Programs:
BeautifySJ Can Continue and
Expand Its Equity Efforts
A Report from the City Auditor
Issued December 2024
http://www.sanjoseca.gov/auditor
Presenters: Joe Rois, City Auditor
Brittney Harvey, Supervising Auditor
Michael O’Connell Jr., Program Performance Auditor II
Adrian Perez, Program Performance Auditor II
Neighborhood Services & Education Committee, December 12, 2024 Agenda Item (d)5 City Auditor’s Office, 1
The BeautifySJ Neighborhood Blight Reduction
and Beautification programs support residents
through services such as: • Graffiti removal • Removing and Preventing Illegal Dumping (RAPID) • BeautifySJ grants (including neighborhood
association engagement and support) • Neighborhood litter removal, neighborhood beautification (including dumpster days), and
volunteer events
City Auditor’s Office, 2
Background
Recommendations: The Administration,
ITD, and PRNS should:
→ Maintain and review disaggregated
data on BeautifySJ services to ensure
continued equitable service delivery.
→ Improve translation options and
guidance for SJ311 and the grant and
volunteer websites.
→ Include accessibility statements for
volunteer events.
Finding I: Priority Communities Have Received The Same or Higher Levels of Service From Neighborhood Blight
Reduction Programs. • Priority communities received a higher proportion of BeautifySJ grants and dumpster days than other
communities. • There was no discernable difference in timeliness of graffiti removal or illegal dumping responses across
neighborhoods. • BeautifySJ can maintain and review disaggregated program data to ensure continued equitable access
and use of its services. • Language translations can be improved across different City platforms, and PRNS can expand
access to volunteer events by providing accessibility
information.
City Auditor’s Office, 3
Conclusion
This report has 6 recommendations.
We would like to thank the Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services Department, the Information Technology Department, the Finance Department, and the Office of Racial and Social Equity for their time and insight during the audit process.
The audit report is available at www.sanjoseca.gov/auditor Audit staff: Brittney Harvey, Michael O’Connell Jr., Adrian Perez, & Peter Childs (Stanford in Government fellow)
City Auditor’s Office, 4