New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Thursday said he was allocating over $32 million in permanent funding for the city Department of Sanitation as part of the fiscal year 2026 budget, which will help keep city parks clean over the weekend and maintain litter basket pickups.
The city will expand what is known as its ‘second shift’ evening and weekend park cleaning teams, and nearly doubling the number of parks that will receive this intensive cleaning, the mayor said through a statement.
In Brooklyn, Canarsie Park, Commodore Barry Park, Marine Park, Prospect Park and Sunset Park will all see additional staff on Thursday through Monday. Bathrooms will also stay open longer.
“Today, we are making life in New York City cleaner and safer,” said Adams. "In addition to our streets, our parks are critical to the fabric of our neighborhoods and to the families who live in those communities."
Historically, key cleanliness programs like litter basket service have been set year-to-year, with funding facing threats and uncertainty each year.
“New Yorkers deserve clean streets day after day, year after year — and cleanliness shouldn’t be held hostage to annual one-shot funding," said DSNY Acting Commissioner Javier Lojan.
