Our Pit Stop Public Toilet Program Wins a Harvard ‘ Bright Idea ’ Award
The Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard University ' s John F . Kennedy School of Government recognized our innovative Pit Stop public toilet program this month with a Bright Ideas in American Government award .
Our program offers people public toilets where they are needed most , resulting in cleaner streets and allowing people to relieve themselves with dignity . What makes this program different – and data shows successful – is that Pit Stops are staffed , ensuring that the bathrooms are kept safe and clean and used for their intended purpose .
The Pit Stop began as a pilot in 2014 with three locations in the Tenderloin . In April 2015 , Public Works began expanding the program , one neighborhood at a time . Today , Public Works operates Pit Stops at 17 locations in eight neighborhoods , with a collective 25,000-plus uses a month .
The Pit Stops also provide dog waste stations and disposal boxes for used needles .
We partner with the nonprofit Hunters Point Family , which staffs the Pit Stops as part of a workforce development program .
The Pit Stop now joins an impressive roster of programs from all levels of government to be honored with a Bright Idea in Government award . A full list of the 2017 Bright Idea award winners can be found here .
The award aims to recognize programs representing the next horizon in government work to improve services and solve problems .
“ These programs demonstrate that there are no prerequisites for doing the good work of governing ,” said Stephen Goldsmith , director of the Innovations in American Government Program at the Ash Center . “ Small towns and massive cities , huge federal agencies and local school districts , large budgets or no budgets at all – what makes government work best is the drive to do better .”