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
- Cleaner, safer streets and environmental careThe resident asks for more care for the environment, public safety on the streets in case of emergencies, and an end to littering so streets are protected.2024–25City-wideSubmitted in Spanish
- Staff to clean dirty trash cansThe resident is worried about too much trash in their neighborhood and asks for people to clean trash cans when they get dirty.2024–25City-wideSubmitted in Spanish
- More public restroomsResident asks for public restrooms.2024–25City-wide
- More trash receptaclesResident asks for more trash receptacles.2024–25City-wide
- Clean up Mattapan SquareResident asks for a cleanup of Mattapan Square, to bring more resources to all neighborhoods.2024–25Mattapan
- Better street lighting and more street cleaningResident asks for better street lighting and more frequent street cleaning, noting some streets are cleaned only monthly, and mentions speeding motorcycles on Morton St.2024–25Mattapan
- Trash can at Gove and Meridian bus stopResident asks for a trash can right next to the bus stop at Gove St and Meridian St so transit riders can wait in a clean space.2024–25East Boston
- Cleanliness and recycling education workshopsOffer educational workshops on cleanliness and recycling to teach residents to keep the city clean.2024–25City-wideSubmitted in Spanish
- Enforce sanitation rules on problem propertyAsks the city to hold management companies accountable for sanitation and rat-infested conditions at a problem property on Blue Hill Avenue and improve responsiveness to cleanliness complaints.2024–25City-wide
- More trash cans and cleaning on Blue Hill AveRequests more trash cans, bus stop cleaning and cameras on Blue Hill Ave and elsewhere to reduce litter and the need to call 311.2024–25City-wide
- More trash cans near restaurant areasRequests more trash cans and pickups in areas with many restaurants to keep them clean and reduce rats, especially helping low-income neighborhoods.2024–25City-wide
- Enforce cleanliness ordinance on Vesta Road propertyAsks authorities to address repeated violations of the city's cleanliness ordinance by a property owner or manager on Vesta Road, ahead of a community block party.2024–25City-wide
- Enclosed trash barrels to reduce ratsResident asks to replace open trash barrels in Charlestown parks and streets with enclosed ones to cut off rats' food source and address a worsening rat problem.2024–25Charlestown
- More public toilets near parks and bus routesResident asks for more publicly funded restrooms across the city, especially near parks and major bus routes like Boston Common, Roxbury Crossing and the Southwest Corridor, so everyone can use a bathroom with dignity.2024–25City-wide
- Recycling bins beside every public trash canAdd a recycling receptacle wherever there is a municipal trash can, starting at sports-only parks like Cassidy Park, to reduce single-use plastic waste.2024–25City-wide
- Trash cans for small buildings to curb ratsProvide trash cans in various sizes to buildings with five or fewer units to help stop the spread of rats and pests.2024–25City-wide
- Fines for littering and mandatory trash can useResident asks for littering fines and required trash can use, citing trash around South End trees and spreading rodent problems.2024–25South End
- More accessible public bathroomsResident asks for more public restrooms, including ones open evenings and weekends, because current options are limited and especially burden low-income and unhoused people.2024–25City-wide
- More trash cans and pothole repairs, especially East BostonResident asks for more trash cans and staff to maintain public spaces and parks, plus road repairs to fix potholes, especially in East Boston.2024–25East Boston
- Trees, trash cans and cigarette receptacles in ChinatownResident asks for more trees, trash cans and metal cigarette butt receptacles in Chinatown near I-90 to reduce litter, heat and pollution.2024–25Chinatown