Transforming Neighborhoods


Mesa neighborhoods will be well connected socially, have equal access to health and technology solutions, are clean, safe, diverse and inclusive, and economically vibrant places where residents and businesses are engaged and informed, are welcoming and where all take pride in their properties and community.

Clean and Safe Neighborhoods

Neighborhoods that are clean and safe are stronger neighborhoods.  The City of Mesa tracks compliance to city ordinances related to blight; graffiti incidents and effort to abate those incidents in a timely manner; and the Mesa Police Department's crime clearance rates.  These are just a few indicators that show how and when Mesa neighborhoods are changing in positive ways.  The City has a number of programs, such as Neighborhood Cleanup, focused on helping neighborhoods stay clean and safe. 

City of Mesa Code Compliance

City of Mesa's Code Compliance office works in partnership with the citizens of Mesa to promote and maintain a safe and attractive living and working environment by reducing the number of code violations that might affect the health and safety of the community.  The Code Compliance office tracks key performance indicators related to the volume and location of violations.  

Code Violations through the Years

Voluntary code compliance is one of the many strategies the City of Mesa uses to transform neighborhoods.  The Code Compliance office proactively works to limit the total number of violations.  Since January 1, 2005, the City of Mesa has been tracking the number of cases that were found by a code officer to be in violation of one or more city or state codes. The cases may have been closed voluntarily or may remain open.  Code violation complaints can be identified by code officers and/or come in from the general public.  All complaints required inspections, but may not deemed a code violation. 

Number of code violations by year

Total code violation complaints vs. actual violations found

Where do code violations occur?

By scrolling over this map, you will see the total number of code violations (by census tract) and by Year Violation Opened.   The darker the area; the more violations.   

Graffiti Abatement

Graffiti abatement is one of the ways the City of Mesa is committed to creating clean and safe neighborhoods.  Graffiti can be an expensive burden for a community and can lower property values and incite additional criminal activity. The City aims to abate all citizen reported graffiti within one business day.  Quick and effective graffiti abatement not only helps maintain an attractive environment, but also reduces the chance of graffiti reappearing, since its quick disappearance is a disincentive to graffiti taggers.
The department documents the location of graffiti incidents as well as the total square footage abated.  Graffiti tends to be concentrated in west Mesa and occur at a higher density around shared-use pathways. 
Incidents of Graffiti
Average Number of Days to Abate
How is graffiti reported?
The introduction of the Mesa CityLink app has greatly improved the response time it takes to abate graffiti. With quick reporting of incidents, pinpointed location data, and improved communication with citizens, the app has streamlined the abatement process.

Neighborhood Cleanup Program

Mesa residents who want to host community cleanup events in their neighborhood can submit an application to participate in the  Neighborhood Cleanup Program (formerly the Clean Sweep/Green Sweep Program).  This program is designed to bring Mesa neighbors together, engage them in a healthy community activity by cleaning up their properties, and taking pride in where they live.
Under this program, the City of Mesa can provide large trash and green waste recycling containers to allow residents to clean their yards, remove litter from the neighborhood, and haul off old furniture, mattresses and other unsightly debris. Cleanup events are scheduled on a first come, first service basis; subject to container availability.  

Keeping the City Clean

The City tracks the number of large containers that are provided to neighborhoods for their community activities by month.  The roll-off containers are utilized in three ways: 
  • Neighborhood Cleanup (NCU): initiated by residents, non-hazardous trash items only
  • Green Waste Cleanup (GCU): initiated by residents, green yard waste only
  • NCU-City Use: initiated by City of Mesa staff in various departments for use by residents in Mesa neighborhoods, non-hazardous trash items only
  • Neighborhood Cleanup (NCU) containers are more commonly used on the west side of Mesa (west of Val Vista Dr.)
  • Neighborhood Cleanup (NCU) containers for the collection of trash, are the most popular type of container utilized by residents.  
  • Green Waste Cleanup (GCU) containers for the collection of grass, leaves, and other yard waste are used less often by residents, but meet the needs of those who have heavy vegetation in their neighborhoods.
  • The cleanup containers are available year-round, although they are least often used in the summer months. 
  • Cleanup events occurring over weekends are preferred over weekday events.

Safe Neighborhoods

Mesa Police Department works with residents to help communities establish active Neighborhood Watch programs, assist businesses and homeowners with preventing crime, and work with the street officers to address neighborhood issues and facilitate problem-solving methods.  
Crime Reports.  
Access CrimeReports for up-to-date data on crime in your area.  

Mesa Police Department Community Outreach Events

The Mesa Police Department holds a number of community events where MPD personnel discuss issues of concern to the citizens of Mesa. Below is a map drawn from the MPD dataset that denotes location, number, and type of event.  This dataset is updated monthly.

Fostering Connections

Residents who are connected to each other in active neighborhoods are more likely to support local businesses, work together to solve neighborhood issues, and contribute to the local community.  Residents can transform a neighborhood when they celebrate its diversity, collaborate with each other, and learn how to effectively access City and community resources to care for their neighborhoods.  The City works throughout the year to encourage and foster connections among neighborhoods residents.  

NextDoor.com 

Nextdoor.com provides a social networking platform where neighbors can connect with each other to share helpful information regarding their community.  The number of Nextdoor.com users within Mesa is one indicator that neighbors want to be informed about what is happening in their neighborhood and are using technology to stay connected.
The City of Mesa has utilized Nextdoor.com since 2014 to connect with residents regarding public input surveys, upcoming events and classes, road construction, public safety, volunteer opportunities, and more. Through the City's Neighborhood Outreach events, meetings and education, residents are encouraged to get to know their neighbors and work together to address common challenges and goals by using social media sites like Nextdoor.   Nextdoor users can share information about community events, crime reports, neighborhood improvement ideas, and more to collaborate and strengthen their neighborhood. 
As of October 1, 2020, 29% of all City of Mesa households had at least one Nextdoor member in the household.
  • 104,918   Total NextDoor members 
  • 73,875     City of Mesa households with at least one Nextdoor member
  • 44,481     Member posts and replies by residents in the past 30 days
  • 1,102       New members in the past 30 days

Registered Neighborhoods

One way to measure and promote connections is through the Neighborhood Outreach Registered Neighborhoods Program.  The Neighborhood Outreach Office maintains a listing of active neighborhoods that have registered with the City to help residents get more involved in decisions affecting their neighborhood. Neighborhoods are formed by residents and property owners within a defined set of boundaries.  Residents engaging in Neighborhood Registration is an indicator of concerned people wanting to be involved in their community. 
How do I tell if my neighborhood is already registered?
Click the image on the right to use our interactive map to find out if your neighborhood is already registered. Use the search tool in the upper right corner to enter your address, or simply zoom into your cross streets to determine if your neighborhood is registered with our Neighborhood Outreach Office. Be sure to click on the neighborhood outline to see the registered name and additional information.

Registered neighborhoods receive information on City and community services, best practices for neighborhood connectivity, a monthly e-newsletter, and a detailed map.  Other benefits to registered neighborhoods include: notification from developers interested in obtaining input on projects planned for the area, collaboration and enhanced communication with Neighborhood Outreach staff, and assistance with facilitating neighborhood meetings.