Access and Use of Neighborhood Blight Reduction Programs: BeautifySJ Can Continue and Expand Its Equity Efforts A Report from the City AuditorIssued December 2024http://www.sanjoseca.gov/auditorPresenters: Joe Rois, City AuditorBrittney Harvey, Supervising AuditorMichael O’Connell Jr., Program Performance Auditor IIAdrian Perez, Program Performance Auditor IINeighborhood Services & Education Committee, December 12, 2024Agenda Item (d)5City 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 eventsCity 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 ConclusionThis report has 6 recommendations.We would like to thank the Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services Department, the Information T echnology 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/auditorAudit staff: Brittney Harvey, Michael O’Connell Jr., Adrian Perez, & Peter Childs (Stanford in Government fellow)City Auditor’s Office, 4