2022 was a challenging year for New York City, the Upper East Side and East 86th Street were no exceptions. As a post-COVID reality came into focus, a slowing economy and escalating crime has taken a toll on our collective conscience and proven to present new obstacles to our overall well-being. With all that said, the East 86th Street Association is never deterred, and always working for a collective good. We believe that the Association has made East 86th Street and the surrounding area better than it was just a year before. Here are some of our accomplishments in 2022:

-          Advocated for and secured 9 “silver bullet” garbage cans distributed along the mid-blocks and at bus stops on East 86th Street while securing mid-block garbage pick-ups by Department of Sanitation for the first time.

-          Advocated and secured street sanitation services for East 86th Street three-four days per week performed by “ACE Services”.

-          Funded “Greenskeepers” to clean the sidewalks, streets and tree pits on East 86th Street and Second and Third Avenue in the East 80s twice per week.

-          Advocated for and secured rat mitigation services, performed by “Wildcats” that has reduced rodent burrows by more than 90% in the Second Half of 2022.

-          Funded the purchase of dozens of Yew bushes, Pachysandra, mulch and watering services for our tree pits lining East 86th Street.

-          Cleaned, de-stickered, and painted the famed “Yorkville Clock” on Third Avenue (84th and 85th).

-          Advocated for and secured doubling of corner can pick-ups for East 86th Street and much of the UES.

-          Worked with local Council Member Julie Menin and the NYPD to vastly increase the police presence on East 86th Street and nearby area.

-          Organized neighborhood “Clean Teams” to engage neighbors and bring visibility to our Sanitation concerns (and progress).

-          Recruited volunteers to remove and paint over graffiti on store gates, lampposts, hydrants, mailboxes and more.

-          Initiated countless 311 complaints on everything from tripping hazards, vermin, tree trimming, abandoned bike removal and more.

-          Worked with NYPD and local elected officials to move Fresh Direct, Amazon and other delivery services from double parking and sorting in lanes of traffic (still a work in progress).

We look forward to 2023 as we plan to build on the progress of the past year and continue to improve the quality of life for our residents, businesses and neighbors. We can’t do this without you! Please consider a donation, if you are able.