Hazardous Waste Recycling/Disposal

You can properly dispose of all household hazardous waste (HHW) for free at local HHW facilities. These corrosive, flammable, or toxic materials can accumulate in your garage or yard and endanger you, your family, and the environment. Remember to never pour leftover materials down the sink, toilet, or storm drain.

HHW includes:

• Batteries

• Paint

• Fluorescent light bulbs 

• Automotive fluids

• Household cleaners

• Pesticides

• Propane tanks 

Visit the  Santa Clara County Household Hazardous Waste Program or call (408).299.7300 to schedule a free drop-off appointment. 
 

Abandoned Shopping Carts

It's amazing how far shopping carts seem to travel from their home.  The City has a program (managed by Code Enforcement) to return these wayward carts back to the stores where they came from; if you happen upon an abandoned shopping cart, its best to

• Note the address where the cart is located

• Reach out to the city:

  • streets.dispatch@sanjoseca.gov

  • (408) 794.1900 weekdays 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

  • (408) 277.8956 all other times, including weekends/holidays

Alternatively, you can fill out this form online so they can start the process of getting the cart back home.

SJ Code Enforcement

Problems With Streets or Sewers

For sewer or storm drain back-ups, missing or damaged traffic signs, major potholes, malfunctioning traffic signals, broken tree limbs, malfunctioning street lamps, and other non-life threatening emergencies call:

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(408) 794.1900 weekdays, 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

(408) 277.8956 all other times, including weekends/holidays

Street Lights

Street lights are the responsibility of the D.O.T. but when reporting problems it needs to be clear to them what is going on.  The four most common problems are:

1. The light is on/off at the wrong time - sometimes the lights are turned on during daylight hours so road crews can drive through and see if any are having issues, but much of the time it's a bad "light sensor"

2. The light is on but either flickers or turns off for periods of time - this is often caused by a bad ballast.

3. The light doesn't come on at all - if all the other lights are on, this is likely a burned out bulb.

4. The light has been damaged, typically in a car accident.

When reporting these issues to D.O.T., it is critical that you note the number on the pole so they can send a crew out to that specific light.  Street addresses can be used, but it is often very difficult for them to find the light in question.  If the light does not have a number on it or it is illegible, try to get the number from a neighboring light pole so they can get the general vicinity.

To report the problem

Use the MySanJose app

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Call

(408) 794.1903

or email 

street.lights@sanjoseca.gov 

Alternatively, you can use the online form.

Illegal Dumping of Garbage on Private Property

Residents in single-family homes can have large items (such as mattresses, sofas, refrigerators, tires, and more) collected curbside by their recycling collection company.  Visit sjenvironment.org/junkpickup for a list of eligible items, frequently asked questions, and to look up your recycling collection company.

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Schedule a large item collection by calling your recycling collection company directly.

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Apartment and condominium residents with communal garbage dumpster service can contact their property managers or GreenTeam of San Jose directly to arrange for large item collections, also at no additional cost.

For neighbors harboring trash on their properties, creating dangerous situations and/or blight, contact the City of San Jose Code Enforcement department:

(408) 535.7770

Dumping of Furniture on the Streets, Empty Lots, and Rivers (Including Mattresses)

The City of San Jose’s Anti-Litter Program offers assistance to the residents of San José with the vision to create a litter free and cleaner San José by assisting the City of San José’s Environmental Services Department (ESD) in improving the health of the City’s environment by preventing and removing trash through Community Education and Engagement.

To report illegal dumping in progress:
(408) 277-8900

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To Report Illegal Dumping:

• Streets, Parks, and Creeks: (408) 535-3500

• Storm Drains: (408) 945-3000

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Illegal dumping can also be reported via the MySanJose app

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To join neighbors for the monthly Adopt-A-Highway cleanup, email Loui Tucker at:

Loui@LouiTucker.com

or visit the website at:

http://www.louitucker.com/IndexTrash.html

Garbage and Graffiti on the Freeways & On Ramps

The California Department of Transportation has sole responsibility for the highways in San José. The City continues working to increase CalTrans’ capacity to clean our highways. Meanwhile, contact CalTrans directly to notify them of trash or graffiti on the highway or ramps.

• Contact CalTrans online

• File a CalTrans report online

• Call them at (408) 452.7134

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To join neighbors for the monthly Adopt-A-Highway cleanup, email Loui Tucker at:

Loui@LouiTucker.com

or visit the website at:

http://www.louitucker.com/IndexTrash.html

Graffiti

There’s a positive benefit derived from moving quickly to report, document, and remove graffiti vandalism. Prompt removal of graffiti improves livability and community aesthetics and sends a clear message that crime is unwelcome here.  Prompt removal also helps prevent the spread of additional graffiti and discourages repeat graffiti attacks by denying vandals the recognition they seek.

To report graffiti:

Use the MySanJose app or San Jose Clean app

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or call

866.249.0543

or email a photograph and the location of the graffiti to

antigraffiti@sanjoseca.gov

To report graffiti on a freeway or ramp, contact Caltrans: http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/maint/msrsubmit/

To report graffiti along a railroad corridor, contact Union Pacific: Call (877) 877.2567 , Option 1

To report graffiti within Santa Clara Counties jurisdiction email:

service.request@rda.sccgov.org

Blighted and/or Unmaintained Properties

Keeping our City, neighborhoods and community clean, safe and free of blight is supported by the San Jose Municipal Code § 17.72.500. It is designed to improve the appearance of streets and enhance the quality of the City’s economic growth and social environment.

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The City of San Jose Code Enforcement team actively works with property owners to ensure that properties are safe and clean.  To report problems with weeds in excess of 24”, dilapidated structures, garbage and other waste littering the property and other signs of blight, please call

(408) 535.3555

Homeless and Homeless Camps

For concerns related to homelessness and encampments in your community, please call

408-975-1440

or email 

homelessconcerns@sanjoseca.gov

Housing Department staff will respond to inquiries within three business days to

1. Acknowledge receipt of the concern

2. Collect any additional details needed. An outreach team will then be deployed to assess the situation, offer services to homeless individuals in the area, and determine any next steps to resolve the reported concern. 

If you are homeless and seeking help, please contact the Homeless Helpline at

408-510-7600

outreach@homefirstscc.org

The Helpline is operated by HomeFirst. 

Illegally Parked Vehicles

Cars parked in red curbs, blocking driveways/sidewalks/fire hydrants, or otherwise illegally parked can easily be reported to City of San Jose by calling 311, then selecting option 1 (English)/2 (Spanish), then 0 .   Please note the vehicles license plate, make, and model prior to calling; you can report multiple vehicles during a phone call.

Additionally, you can email a photograph of the vehicle, with its license plate visible to

Parking.Compliance@SanJoseCA.gov

along with the location of the vehicle.

Vehicles Parked On Lawns

In San Jose, it is illegal to park vehicles on lawns and unfinished surfaces including but not limited to grass, turf, gravel, and dirt.  It is not a paved surface if only the areas under the tires are paved. 

The San Jose City Council enacted the Lawn Parking Ordinance in response to complaints from citizens that motor vehicles parking on lawns created visual blight in the neighborhood, lowered property values, and, in some cases, created a safety concern.

To report violations please call

(408) 535.3555

Abandoned Vehicles

In San José, it is illegal to leave a vehicle parked for more than 72 consecutive hours on a public street without it being driven at least 1/10th of a mile. When a vehicle is reported or observed to be abandoned or stored, a courtesy tow warning notice is typically placed on it, so that the vehicle owner has the opportunity to correct the violation.

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To report an abandoned vehicle

Use the MySanJose app

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or call

311, then select option 1 (English)/2 (Spanish), then 0. 

Additionally, you can email a photograph of the vehicle, with its license plate visible to

Parking.Compliance@SanJoseCA.gov

along with the location of the vehicle.

City of San Jose Customer Service

Have a question? Need some help? The City of San Jose has someone available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to answer questions, to provide information and help resolve concerns. If you need to get in touch with the City and don’t know who to call, dial the Contact Center:

408.535.3500

City Council

The BVNA is part of San Jose District 6, overseen by councilman Devora “Dev” Davis .  The City Councilman is responsible for most everything that happens in the area and is an alternative contact for any problems you may be having, including the one listed previously.

You can e-mail Councilmember Davis at:

Devora.Davis@sanjoseca.gov

Or call the office at:  408.535.4906

MySanJose App

The MySanJose Application can be downloaded for free on most smartphones via their respective application storefronts.

Use the MySanJose App to report:

Abandoned Vehicles: These are unused and undrivable automobiles (like RVs, trucks, cars) that are left on public streets for over 72 hours.

Graffiti: Visible markings or drawings on buildings, structures, roads, sidewalks and signs.

Illegal Dumping: Large amounts of garbage and junk left on City of San Jose streets or sidewalks.

Potholes: A hole in the street with a defined edge.

Streetlight Outages: Lights on roads or sidewalks. Not for lights inside parks and buildings or traffic signals.

§General Requests: For all other service requests or information. Not for emergencies.

San Jose Clean

The SJClean Application can be downloaded for free on most smartphones via their respective application storefronts. (Scan the QR code above to download it).  The application allows you to easily report graffiti to the City of San Jose staff, allowing them to quickly and easily clean it