Beginning July 2026, Central Eastside Together (CET) began making important adjustments to their Clean Team operations as part of the ongoing program evaluation and in response to feedback from the community through surveys, listening sessions and outreach. One of the most consistent pieces of feedback they received is the need for more visible cleaning coverage throughout the district. To better serve Central Eastside businesses, their employees and visitors, CET is making three changes.
CET will begin putting more cleaners in the field, shifting from a fleet of two cleaning trucks and two tricycle cleaners to one cleaning truck and four tricycle cleaners. This change is intended to increase CET’s presence along corridors where trash and debris are most prevalent, while also improving response times for service requests. With more staff actively working through the district, they will be able to provide broader coverage and respond more quickly to issues as they arise.
This year, CET piloted a partnership with the City of Portland’s Impact Reduction Program to coordinate large-item removals. When City crews are working nearby, CET can effectively triage bulky items through their system, helping address issues more efficiently. The partnership has been highly successful and allowed CET to reduce their truck fleet from two vehicles to one.
Finally, CET is refining their service routes to focus on major corridors, high-foot-traffic areas and locations preparing for district events. Responsive services will continue to prioritize biohazards, drug paraphernalia and trash or debris that impacts business operations.
There are no changes on how to request services and dispatch processes will remain the same. Services are available Monday-Friday, 7 am-3:30 pm. To inform the CET team of high-need areas, email clean@ceic.cc or call 503.236.6830 ext. 700.
Photo by Central Eastside Together.
