Welcome and Cleanliness Program a boost to downtown Concord
CONCORD, CA (May 22, 2024) — The Todos Santos Business Association (TSBA) invites you to revisit downtown Concord and see the great improvements.
The TSBA is a non-profit organization that represents the core Concord downtown businesses. We work closely with both the public and private sectors to better the business environment for downtown visitors and residents.
In early 2023, we identified several key priorities to improve our downtown and established the Downtown Welcome & Cleanliness Program.
Priorities
- A daily security officer to patrol the parking garages, Todos Santos Plaza and the downtown business district by foot, bike and vehicle. This officer is uniformed and unarmed, carrying a clearly marked identification badge and cell phone.
- A daily day-porter to foot patrol designated routes within the business district to pick up trash, clean graffiti, and wipe down park benches, tables and trash cans.
- Additional pressure washing services conducted monthly on popular pedestrian pathways and sidewalks of Todos Santos Plaza and the surrounding streets.
Thanks to the amazing support of the Concord City Council and city staff, the TSBA received a one-time American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant of $458,000. Using an additional $50,000 grant from the Brenden-Mann Foundation, we launched the Downtown Welcome & Cleanliness Program in May 2023.
Success
It is now May 2024, and I am happy to say it has been an overwhelming success.
TSBA chose security company AX9, based in downtown Concord. We selected one main AX9 officer with the first name of Israel to work the bulk of hours. Israel’s work has been incredible.
He and his relief officers were asked to verbally deter individuals who were blocking exits, doorways, stairwells and elevators, using drugs or alcohol, or urinating and defecating in public areas. In the first few months, their contacts with individuals falling within the above scope were numerous and consistent. Monthly totals for these interactions were in the 70s and 80s.
However, with a consistent patrol and excellent communication and cooperation with Concord PD, these contacts now average 10-15 per month and are still dropping.
Moreover, Israel has met with most of the local managers, owners and daily employees of the downtown. They all know his name, and he has helped inspire a sense of community.
Our main day-porter is Brenda, who works for another downtown Concord company: Building Services Maintenance. Brenda is easy to spot in her bright yellow vest with the TSBA logo. She has been an absolute workhorse in her daily cleaning. She is nonstop, it seems, in helping clean the downtown. Since May of 2023, Brenda and her relief help have removed 347 large trash bags of debris and have scrubbed countless public touch and contact points.
Our pressure washer services are from Welcome Business Maintenace, which has serviced the downtown high-traffic pedestrian pathways once per month over the past year. Workers target bird droppings on sidewalks and pavers, public benches and railings and areas surrounding public trash cans.
Thanks
The TSBA also wishes to compliment and thank the Concord Public Works and Engineering Departments. We have met several times to review the Welcome Program and coordinate their own cleaning and pressure washing program. They have really joined the effort to make the downtown look as good as possible with beautiful landscaping, new decorative pavers, new streetscaping and striping.
In addition, they are currently painting and repairing much of the city garage next to Plaza Tower.
The city’s Economic Development team has been incredibly supportive and a huge assistance to TSBA and the downtown. The long list of wonderful events and festivals held at Todos Santos Plaza, such as the Tuesday Farmers Market, Summer Concert Series and Holiday Tree Lighting, have been very successful.
It’s a perfect time for you to plan your next activity downtown.
For more information visit concordtsba.net