What is Neighbor Day? 

Neighbor Day is a day that you and your neighbors get together to meet, get to know each other, chat with the Councilmember, work on a beautification project such as a litter pickup, wall painting, or maybe planting some native plants, and our office arranges to have dumpsters on-site so you and your neighbors can dump items you need to get rid of.  The idea is to help build stronger, safer, and cleaner neighborhoods. 

  

Why plan a Neighbor Day? 

If you’ve ever been to a Neighborhood Watch meeting, then you’ve heard the Crime Prevention Unit presenters teach that the best way to keep a neighborhood safe is for neighbors to get to know each other.  We have found that it is also true that in neighborhoods where the residents know each other and get together often, those neighborhoods are not only safer, but they are cleaner and more beautiful, and have a stronger voice at City Hall. 

  

What is the typical schedule for a Neighbor Day? 

Events are held on Saturdays. A typical event goes something like this, but your event might be different depending on the projects planned: 

  • 8:30 AM D10 Staff arrives on site to help set up 

  • 9:30 AM Coffee Social – a time to get to know neighbors, Councilmember Mahan, and D10 Staff 

  • 10:30 AM Litter pickup begins (or beautification project) and dumpsters are open 

  • 1:00 PM Dumpsters are closed, unless they fill up before then 

  • 2:00 PM Dumpsters are picked up by hauler 

  

What your D10 Council Staff will do: 

  • Create a flyer and help distribute to every doorstep in your neighborhood 

  • Contribute some refreshments if needed 

  • Provide and arrange for dumpsters 

  • Contribute some volunteers if needed 

  • Work with you and any required City staff to arrange the beautification project 

  • Ensure the Councilmember is on-site to talk with neighbors, hear their concerns, and answer questions. 

  

What the Neighborhood will do: 

  • Work with our office to plan the day 

  • Contribute some volunteers to help distribute flyers before the event, and to help manage the dumpsters on the day of the event. 

  • Contribute some refreshments as needed 

  • Help promote the event in the days leading up to it through the private NextDoor group, through email, newsletter, or whatever means available. 

  • Prepare any printed materials you may want to distribute to guests to let them know about your organization. 

   

What if neighbors need to dump stuff before Neighbor Day? 

If you or your neighbors need to get rid of things before your Neighbor Day event, you can schedule a Large Item Pickup and your hauler will pick up those items on one of your garbage days.  Even if it's a bunch of small items, you can put them in one box, and it becomes a large item.  For more information and to schedule a pickup visit https://www.sanjoseca.gov/your-government/environment/recycling-garbage/junk-pickup. 

  

How do I schedule and plan a Neighbor Day in my neighborhood? 

We are scheduling Neighbor Days each month, and we need at least two months’ notice to plan an event.  Contact the D10 Council office at [email protected] and we will talk to you about the possibility of setting one up in your neighborhood.  We only have funds available for a limited number of dumpsters each year, but we will do our best to fill as many requests as possible.  Other beautification projects may still be coordinated even if dumpsters are not available.  Rain will cause the event to be cancelled. 

  

   

If you have any further questions about Neighbor Days, send us an email at [email protected]