HERMOSA BEACH TO HOST COMMUNITY-WIDE GARAGE

HERMOSA BEACH TO HOST COMMUNITY-WIDE GARAGE SALE MARCH 30 FOR IMPROVED PUBLIC ACCESS TO 

STREETS AND SIDEWALKS

Popular Event Seeks to Create Safer Paths to School, Reduce Waste and Encourage Reuse The City of Hermosa Beach is hosting the Second Annual Community-Wide Garage Sale in Hermosa Beach from 7 a.m. to noon on Saturday, March 30, to encourage residents to get their vehicles off the street and into their garages to improve accessibility and ensure students have a safe path to school. The garage sale also seeks to reduce waste by encouraging the reuse of unwanted items. More than 150 households participated in the 2018 Community-Wide Garage Sale, and many reported that they were able to park their vehicles in the garage afterward. Local charities also benefited from donations of unsold items, which were dropped off at a collection center that received more than 100 visits on the day of the garage sale. But parking on sidewalks remains a problem. In 2018, the Hermosa Beach Police Department issued 458 citations for parking on sidewalks. “Residential parking can be a challenge in Hermosa Beach. Drivers who can’t find parking spaces sometimes obstruct sidewalks, which can endanger our children, people with disabilities and anyone else who is forced to walk in the street because the sidewalk is blocked,” said Hermosa Beach Mayor Stacey Armato. “To reduce parking challenges, City staff developed this creative solution to encourage residents to clear out their garages so they could park their cars there, rather than on the street, which should help reduce parked cars that obstruct our sidewalks. We had a great response last year, and we encourage people across the South Bay to come shop on March 30. There will be great buys throughout the community.” Residents who are interested in hosting a garage sale are asked to register with the City by March 22 so they can be included in a garage sale directory, which will be on the City’s website to help direct buyers to each garage sale. The City is also encouraging garage sale participants to share any unique items for sale by  using #hermosagaragesale on Instagram. “Initiated as part of the Hermosa Beach Safe Access Sidewalk Education Program, the Community-wide Garage Sale is a great opportunity to extend the useful life of items by ensuring they are reused and recycled,” said Mayor Armato. “It also brings the community together, as residents join in this community-wide event.” Athens Services is supporting the City in the garage sale by providing bins for collecting unwanted items. The City is organizing a donations center at the Hermosa Beach City Hall’s parking lot from noon to 4 p.m. on March 30. Among the charitable organizations that will be accepting donations are Habitat for Humanity ReStore, Salvation Army, Richstone Family Center and Hermosa Beach Friends of the Library. Please visit the City’s website to learn more.