Clean streets & restrooms
Consistent priorityTrash, litter, rodent control and public restrooms so neighborhoods are clean and basic hygiene needs are met.
Residents consistently ask for more public trash cans, rat-proof waste containers, regular street cleaning and free, clean public restrooms in every neighborhood.
Theme grouped and summary written with AI from this theme's resident ideas.
276 ideas across three cycles
| Cycle | Ideas | Share of all ideas | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024–25 | 62 | 5.1% | 9 of 20 |
| 2025–26 | 147 | 12.2% | 1 of 20 |
| 2026–27 | 67 | 5.1% | 9 of 20 |
Needs that keep coming back
More public trash cans and pickups
Residents want more public trash cans, emptied more often, especially near bus stops, restaurants, parks and in neighborhoods they feel are underserved.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
Rat control and rat-proof trash storage
Residents link rats to trash left on streets and ask for enclosed or rat-proof bins, trash cans for small buildings, and targeted control in places like Allston.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
Public restrooms
Residents ask for more free, clean, accessible public restrooms in parks, near transit and in neighborhoods with none, so no one has to buy something to use a toilet.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
More frequent street cleaning and cleanup staff
Residents ask for more frequent sweeping and for paid or volunteer crews to clear litter from streets and sidewalks.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
Education on litter, recycling and pet waste
Residents ask for awareness programs and workshops that teach neighbors how to dispose of trash properly, recycle and pick up after pets.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
2024–25
Ideas covered a broad mix of trash cans, rat control, public bathrooms, and cleanup, including rat birth control pilots, trash barrels for small buildings, and some requests for public showers.
2025–26
Public restrooms dominated this cycle: well over a hundred ideas asked for free, clean, 24/7 bathrooms near transit stations, and many Chinatown residents asked for a restroom at the gate.
2026–27
Ideas turned to how trash is stored and collected, including shared or street-side bins in East Boston, the North End and the South End, along with more street cleaners in Chinatown and a smaller number of restroom requests.
New in 2026–27
New or growing asks include NYC-style shared or containerized trash bins and street-side storage for homes without space, plus beach and harbor cleanup, poison-free rat control, and Chinatown street cleaning staffing.
Funding so far
The 2024-25 rat prevention winner addresses the recurring rodent and waste-management ask, but no winning project yet covers public restrooms, more public trash cans, street cleaning crews, or litter and recycling education.
Projects are linked to themes by matching each project's description to the themes; this is not an official City classification.
Rat Prevention Initiatives in Dense Residential Areas
2024–25 · $500,000
This proposal aims to tackle rodent infestations in identified hotspots by improving waste management practices and reducing food access for rats.
Departments that often lead this work
- Public Works
- Boston Public Health Commission
- Parks & Recreation
Suggested with AI; not an official assignment of responsibility.
Ideas in Clean streets & restrooms
276 ideas
2024–25: 62 · 2025–26: 147 · 2026–27: 67
- Hire neighborhood residents to clean streetsResident asks the city to hire people who live in each neighborhood to clean its streets.2024–25City-wide
- 24/7 public toilets on Boston CommonResident asks for permanent public toilets open all hours on the Common, regularly cleaned by local hires and patrolled by police to prevent misuse by drug users.2024–25Beacon Hill
- 24/7 public restrooms in parks and transit stopsResident asks for public restrooms, portable or permanent, open 24/7 in major parks and near busy train and bus stops, maintained by Public Works, including for unhoused people.2024–25City-wide
- Rat prevention near Linden and Harvard AvenuesResident asks for targeted rat prevention in the Linden, Harvard and Park Vale Ave area of Allston, where trash left on the street after pickup contributes to the problem.2024–25Allston
- Public restrooms in all T stationsResident asks for restrooms in every T station and better wayfinding to existing ones, since only some stations have them and they are hard to find.2024–25City-wide
- Awareness program to keep streets free of wasteResident asks for an awareness program so the community keeps streets clean of trash and animal waste.2024–25City-wide
- More trash cansResident asks for more trash cans to help keep the neighborhood clean, noting benefit to people of color, low-income and immigrant residents.2024–25City-wide
- Cleaner streets, more lighting, more programsResident asks for cleaner streets, better lighting and more programs in the neighborhood.2024–25City-wide
- Public showers for personal hygieneInstall public showers so people without access to them can take care of personal hygiene.2024–25City-wide
- Showers in parks and schoolsInstall showers in parks, schools and other places where people can bathe, especially for children.2024–25City-wide
- More frequent trash collection in East BostonCreate a more efficient trash collection system with pickups at least two to three days a week for all of East Boston.2024–25City-wide
- Hire people to clean up the cityEmploy many people to clean up the city and promote cleanliness so residents feel happier.2024–25City-wide
- Short-term street trash and litter cleanup projectFund a short-term project to improve streets by removing trash and litter, improving air and ground quality.2024–25City-wide
- More rodent control near construction sitesThe resident asks for more pest control, including bait boxes near heavy construction, so rats do not limit gardening and neighborhood socializing.2024–25City-wide
- More public trash cans and pickupsThe resident asks for more public trash cans and more frequent trash truck pickups to reduce odors and dirty sidewalks.2024–25City-wide
- Spend funds on rodent control and sterilizationThe resident asks that the full $2 million go to rodent control, including partnering with MIT researchers on a rat sterilization formula, citing health, safety and quality of life.2024–25City-wide
- More trash receptacles and repainted street linesThe resident asks for more trash cans and for street lines to be repainted.2024–25City-wide
- Rat control and trash cans blocking sidewalksThe resident raises rats and cleanliness, noting trash cans left out after pickup make passing on sidewalks difficult.2024–25City-wide
- Education about trash pickupThe resident asks for public education about trash pickup.2024–25City-wide
- Program for residents to pick up street litterThe resident proposes a program where people can sign up to pick up trash from the street, with participation being voluntary.2024–25City-wideSubmitted in Spanish