MEDIA ADVISORY / REQUEST FOR ONSITE COVERAGE: MONDAY, 10/30 – 12:30pm ‘til 4:30pm

Media Contact: David Perry & Associates, Inc. / David Perry

(415) 693-0583 //cell: (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com

WHO: Union Square Business Improvement District (BID) takes part in

WHAT: The Annual ““Clean Team” ” kick-off

WHEN: Monday, October 30: 12:30pm ‘til 4:30pm

WHERE: Participants will meet at the fountain on Stockton Street
between the Grand Hyatt and the Levi's store on the plaza level

WEBSITE www.unionsquarebid.com

PHONE: (415) 421-3135

DETAIL: The Union Square BID will join in the “Stockton Tunnel Clean-up” which includes sprucing up the 400 Block of Stockton and the 300 block of Sutter Street.  Teams will be removing/painting over graffiti, sweeping sidewalks, painting the handrails in the Stockton Tunnel, cleaning and paint the Southeast stairwell in the Tunnel and removing illegal postings among other tasks.  The “Green Machine” scrubber will be operating by DPW personnel and will scrub both the East and West pedestrian walkways from end to end in the Stockton tunnel.

“This is a great way for everyone who cares about the Union Square area to chip in,” said Leigh Ann Baughman, Union Square BID Executive Director. “Thank you to the Grand Hyatt for volunteering to host the Clean-Up, DPW for bringing the supplies and all the volunteers who strive to help the BID fulfill its mission of keeping the Union Square are clean and safe.”

The Union Square Business Improvement District (BID) is a 10-block area where property owners assess themselves to make their community cleaner, safer and more vibrant. The BID assessment is used to purchase services that supplement those provided by the City. The Union Square BID contains 91 properties and is roughly bounded by Sutter Street to the North, Stockton and Grant Streets to the East, Market Street to the South and Cyril Magnin to the West. In 1994, California joined most states in the country and passed enabling legislation for property based business improvement districts (PBIDS). There are currently over 1,000 BIDS in the United States and Canada.

A unique program of the Union Square BID are the BID“Ambassadors” -- a visible presence for safety and maintenance in the BID’s ten-square-block borders. Easily identifiable by their red and blue uniforms, the Ambassadors provide visitors and tourists with a variety of services including directions, transportation information, emergency response, and even help elderly shoppers with their bags as they cross San Francisco’s busy streets. Also part of the Union Square BID’s success are the “TAGGers.” “TAGGers” (an acronym for Take Away Graffiti and Grime ) are the primary caretakers for Union Square and the whole BID district. Every morning they sweep the sidewalks, pick-up and dispose of trash and debris, and remove graffiti from storefronts, buildings, area light poles and street furniture. Sidewalks are steam cleaned twice a month.

Another important program of the BID is the “Code Adam” Program to help find lost children. The “Code Adam” program -- which operates all year long -- is an intense, immediate and highly successful program to match lost children with their parents.

For more information on the Union Square Business Improvement District, access their website at www.unionsquarebid.com, or call (415) 421-3135.