YORK, Pa. -- Many people may do a little spring cleaning this time of year, and the City of York is no exception.
The city’s clean sweep program, however, isn’t limited to litter.
York City Deputy Director of Permits, Planning and Zoning Steve Buffington said "the clean sweeps, we look at as an opportunity for the city and the residents to work together to help improve their neighborhoods."
Picking up trash is just one way to clean up York and help make the city a better place to live.
"Quality of life also goes to the conditions of the buildings in the neighborhood, so they’re enforcing property maintenance code violations, litter, high grass and weeds, trash," Buffington said.
Tuesday, a team of property maintenance inspectors was on a mission with one target in mind.
"We’re going into particular neighborhoods that have been recommended either by the police department, our property maintenance inspectors, the mayor's office, community groups, that feel a little bit of love and attention is needed," Buffington said.
It’s York City’s first clean sweep of the year.
"Property maintenance inspectors are making notes of the violations, and when they get back to the office, they’ll do up letters, and send out, and give folks time to comply," Buffington said.
It's why South Penn Street hasn’t seen the last of these inspectors.
"They’re just receiving a notice to fix it up, however, if they don’t comply with that notice, there’s a timeframe given. If they don’t comply within the timeframe, they could face a citation," Buffington said.
Despite the fact that some property owners may receive a repair notice, getting to know the inspectors can be as beneficial for others as getting to know their neighbors.
"When we’re out here, we encourage neighbors to come out, stop and talk to us, let us know if there are any particular issues in their neighborhood, police officers are with us, public works is with us," Buffington said.
"Let them know about maybe some potholes in your neighborhood. Let the police know about activities that concern. Let the property maintenance inspectors know if there’s properties of a particular concern that we might need to pay a little more attention to," Buffington added.