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How to Adopt a Street

What does it mean to become an Adopt-A-Street adopter?

Joining the Adopt-A-Street Program (AAS) is easy and fun! Individuals, businesses, schools, clubs, churches, and organizations can help keep Seattle clean by participating in one of the following options:

  1. Traditional Adopter Option
    • Remove litter along at least one mile of city streets
    • Adopt the designated area for two years
    • Pledge to complete four cleanups annually
    Along with Adopt-A-Street supplies and free pick-up of two or more bags of debris, official Adopt-A-Street signs are awarded (and posted) for individuals and groups that select and fulfill the Traditional Adopter option. Fill out the Sign Request Form (doc) to apply for two official signs. Adopted streets are also posted on the Adopted Streets map.
  2. Special Adopter Option
    • Remove litter along city streets
    • Adopt the designated area for any time period
    Adopters receive Adopt-A-Street supplies and free pick-up of two or more bags of debris.

How do I apply?

  1. Select a commitment option by filling out the Adopt-A-Street Commitment Form (doc). Include the streets you would like to adopt and their zip codes and either mail it in to the address indicated on the form or email it to adoptastreet@seattle.gov. If you are a participating business, please select streets that are arterials.

    Please note: The Adopt-A-Street commitment does not legally obligate you to do anything. This form is used to determine which volunteers qualify for support such as equipment, volunteer liability insurance, and disposal assistance.
  2. Set, plan and organize your cleanup. If you are borrowing supplies, please be sure to include the Supply Request Form (doc) along with the Adopt-A-Street Commitment Form (doc). Please contact us two weeks before your scheduled cleanup to coordinate your supply request. Supplies consist of litter bags, garbage grabbers, gloves, safety vests, and more, plus Storm Drain Stencil kits if requested.
  3. Record volunteer names on the Volunteer Sign-In Sheet (pdf) at your cleanup so they receive insurance coverage during the event under the City’s Volunteer Insurance Program. Review safety guidelines from the Safety First (pdf) sheet. The sign-in sheets are to be kept by the volunteer coordinators of each cleanup event.
  4. After your cleanup, call the hotline at (206) 684-7647 or e-mail adoptastreet@seattle.gov to report your cleanup event. Please indicate the following:
    • Your name and organization
    • The date of your cleanup event
    • The number of volunteers that participated
    • The number of hours of the clean up
    • The number of bags collected
    If you need assistance disposing of the bags collected, please leave the exact intersection or address of where the bags are located, and we will send a crew to pick up the bags within about 48 hours. We request that you leave at least two full bags for this disposal service.

    If you borrowed supplies and do not plan to have another cleanup event in the near future, please coordinate a time to drop off the supplies with the Adopt a Street Coordinator.

Questions?

Please call our 24-hour hotline at (206) 684-7647 or email adoptastreet@seattle.gov.