You are reading

Councilmember Lee Wants to Cleanup Eastern Queens, Address Graffiti and Illegal Dumping

Councilmember Linda Lee, who represents the 23rd District (Photo: CM Linda Lee)

May 2, 2022 By Christian Murray

Eastern Queens is in need of a cleanup and Councilmember Linda Lee is calling on her constituents to report locations where there is graffiti, excessive amounts of litter or items that have been dumped.

Lee launched a “Spring Cleaning Series” last month aimed at beautifying and restoring public areas across District 23, which covers the neighborhoods of Glen Oaks, Bellerose, Fresh Meadows, Oakland Gardens and Floral Park, as well as parts of Douglaston, Little Neck, Bayside, Hollis, and Queens Village.

Lee is calling on residents to report any trouble spots in the district, as she aims to spruce up the area with summer approaching. Her office is working with both the city and non-profit organizations to clean up problem areas in the district.

One issue that she is specifically trying to address is graffiti, which she says hurts businesses and puts a dent in civic pride.

“Graffiti that covers our local businesses and defaces our public spaces isn’t just an eyesore, but it impacts our quality of life,” Lee said. “Residents – many of whom are raising families here – feel a real sense of joy and civic pride in their neighborhoods, but that sentiment is ruined when we see businesses or public works defaced….”

Lee’s office is working with the Queens Economic Development Corporation to clean up the graffiti. The non-profit is in charge of power-washing and painting over graffiti—typically found on walls and fences/shutters.

Her office has already directed 10 locations to be cleaned since she took office in January.

The councilmember is also focusing on cleaning up litter and is working with the Association of Community Employment Programs for the Homeless (ACE) to address the problem. ACE, which employs the formerly incarcerated or homeless New Yorkers, sends out workers to do the cleanups.

“It is demoralizing to walk around the neighborhood and see heaps of trash piled on the side of the road and litter on the side of the road,” Lee said. She is urging the public to notify her office of areas in need of cleanup.

Lee is also working with the New York City Department of Sanitation to address illegal dumping, where residents have illegally discarded debris on the street, in a park or any other area.

“Illegal dumping continues to plague Eastern Queens as a whole and some of the most beautiful areas of our district in particular,” Lee said.

“Illegal dumping turns our green spaces into eyesores and attracts pests to our communities, posing health hazards to us all.”

Lee is urging residents to report people to authorities responsible for dumping.

To date, 20 locations have been cleaned as part of the Spring Cleaning Series.

Lee’s office is calling on her constituents to report areas in need of a clean-up or where graffiti needs to be removed. Her office can be reached at (718) 468-0137 or email to [email protected].

 

email the author: [email protected]

One Comment

Click for Comments 
Illegal Beagle

Not just “Eastern Queens” but the Forest Hills, Rego Park, Glendale, Kew Gardens area has been riddled with graffiti and garbage dumping. Something that has not been an issue since the early 90’s. This must be addressed immediately before it becomes a bigger issue and more costly one.

3
1
Reply

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

Longtime Queens jurist named chief administrative judge of New York State Unified Court System

Judge Joseph A. Zayas, who spent most of his judicial career presiding over Queens’ courtrooms, was officially installed as chief administrative judge of the New York State Unified Court System, the highest-ranking administrative position in the state judiciary.

Judge Zayas was appointed by Chief Judge Rowan D. Wilson and approved by the Administrative Board of the Courts to succeed Judge Tamiko Amaker, who served as the court system’s acting chief administrative judge since December 2022.

“Judge Zayas has a stellar reputation for his keen judgment, hard work, integrity and deep knowledge of both the law and the complex workings of the New York State court system,” said Chief Judge Rowan. “He has demonstrated exceptional leadership and the highest ethical standards over the course of his distinguished judicial career. He is a forward-thinking, hands-on manager as proven throughout his tenure as administrative judge for criminal matters in Queens County, where he implemented numerous reforms and programs to improve the delivery of justice.”

The chief administrative judge supervises the daily administration and operation of the Unified Court System, which has a budget of $3.3. billion, with 3,600 state and locally paid judges and nearly 15,000 non-judicial employees in over 300 courthouses spanning 62 counties.

Queens Symphony Orchestra performs at Russo’s on the Bay in Howard Beach

Councilwoman Joann Ariola brought the Queens Symphony Orchestra to Russo’s on the Bay on May 22 for the Night at the Opera – a free concert event that drew more than 200 people to the Howard Beach events hall located at 162-45 Cross Bay Blvd.

“It was truly an honor to continue funding such a wonderful program, and to bring this great music to so many people,” Ariola said. “We were able to bring so many people together for a free night of music – that’s what this is all about, letting taxpayer dollars work for the taxpayer, and providing programs like this that give our residents a nice night out to just unwind and enjoy themselves.”

Advocates pen letter blasting Mayor Adams’ legal motion to suspend right-to-shelter

Homeless advocates penned a letter to a Manhattan Supreme Court judge opposing Mayor Eric Adams’ recent legal motion calling for the suspension of the city’s decades-old right-to-shelter law amid the ongoing migrant influx.

The letter, sent last Thursday and released Tuesday, comes in response to Adams last week filing a court motion to exempt the city from its legal mandate — established by the 1984 Callahan v. Carey consent decree — to provide shelter to single adults and adult couples when it “lacks the resources and capacity” to do so. The mayor and top administration officials say they’re not seeking to abolish the right-to-shelter, but rather “clarity” from the court that would give them more “flexibility” in finding suitable housing for tens of thousands of migrants.

Rockaway’s piping plovers among endangered species commemorated on U.S. Postal Service stamps

A day before the city reopened nearly 70 blocks of public beaches along the Rockaway peninsula for the Memorial Day weekend, the U.S. Postal Service and National Park Service hosted a special event at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in Broad Channel to honor the piping plover, an endangered shorebird featured on new stamps.

In attendance were members of the NYC Plover Project, a nonprofit with more than 250 volunteers, who have been on the beaches since March preparing for the summer swim season, who celebrated the newly released stamp sheet commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act.

Bayside High School hosts annual Social Entrepreneur Trade Fair

Bayside High School hosted its annual Social Entrepreneur Trade Fair Friday. Students from the Career and Technical Education Humanities and Nonprofit Management program each pitched their socially responsible products to students, staff and others in attendance.

Each of the 11th grade students in the program have been taking a college credit course from Farmingdale State College called Social Entrepreneur. The students were divided into 17 groups of five and tasked with coming up with innovative ideas to create businesses while also being socially responsible. The Social Entrepreneur Trade Fair grants them with the opportunity to work on pitching their products to potential customers.

Annual Memorial Day ceremony held at Korean War memorial in Kissena Park

On Friday, May 26, the second annual Memorial Day Ceremony in Kissena Park brought live music, local dignitaries, veterans groups, a presentation of the Colors by members of the Francis Lewis High School JROTC, a flower-laying ceremony and more to the Flushing community.

Those in attendance included Councilwoman Sandra Ung, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, state Senator John Liu, veterans groups, local students, Boy Scout Troop 253 and others.