City of Modesto launches revamped app to help with blight
MODESTO — From trash in alleys to illegal dumping, blight is piling up in Modesto. But city crews are hitting the streets to offer new ways to get the community more involved.
Kolton Pacheco and his team are on the frontlines of Modesto's blight abatement program. From organizing large-scale cleanups to responding to resident reports, he says community involvement is key.
"This is our community where our kids go to school," Pacheco said. "Having a clean neighborhood is a great way to start your day."
Reporting buildups of garbage or large items just got a lot easier. All residents need to do is log onto the GoModesto! app, where they can attach photos and GPS locations to their reports which go directly to the blight abatement team. Response time takes only 24 to 48 hours.
Still, Pacheco said that illegal dumping remains their biggest challenge.
"Part of our job is to investigate illegal dumping, and if we can find things that tie it to the individual who might have illegally dumped it there, we do follow through with enforcement activity," he said.
This Saturday is Love Modesto, an annual event that brings in thousands of volunteers to help clean up the city and remove buildup. The city told CBS Sacramento that they will be announcing their Mo'Beautiful campaign in an attempt to gain more community involvement.
