GULFPORT — Gulfport is rolling out “$1,000 Fine No Dumping” signs and urging residents to report litter violations, part of a city push to tackle what officials — and residents — say is a citywide problem. 

“It’s an everyday thing,” said Leslie Escalante, 19, who grew up in Gulfport. “Like where I turn. It’s like always there. It’s really sad.” 

Litter is a recurring concern according to residents and city officials across Gulfport, where local crews struggle to keep up with cleanup efforts. City leaders say the problem goes beyond appearance — it affects property values, tourism and community pride. 

Residents call for more action 

For Escalante, she said she wants to see more education in schools and community involvement. 

“We have people with good hearts — they just need a little push,” she said.  

Janiya Davis, 16, said litter influences how outsiders perceive Gulfport. 

“They look at us like we’re nasty,” she said.  

Most residents agree. A citywide survey by One CLEAN Gulfport found that 96% of 386 residents polled said litter negatively impacts the city’s image and 95% said they believe it lowers property values. 

Janiya’s brother, Jamario, said he wants people to take more pride in where they live. 

“It’s kind of tragic out here,” he said. “We got to clean up. We got to start doing better. This is all we got.” 

Gulfport struggles to keep up with cleanup 

Mayor Hugh Keating said part of the challenge is keeping up with the volume of litter and illegal dumping across Gulfport. 

The city relies on its code enforcement division to address both public dumping and property blight. Officers are using the International Property Maintenance Code to target derelict and abandoned properties, and Keating said the city has increased the number of demolitions in recent years. 

“Within the last three or four years, our code enforcement has gotten more aggressive,” he said. “About four years ago, it seemed like it was kind of a secondary issue. It wasn’t focused on. We were taking down or razing, demolishing if you will, derelict properties. On average, maybe five or six a year. Within the last few years, we’re averaging around 60.” 

He said neglected properties and litter affect neighborhoods in measurable ways.

“It impacts not only aesthetics — it impacts property values within the neighborhood,” Keating said. “That ultimately drives down values, which drives down heavily on tax revenues, which puts more pressure on the city to find other forms of resources and funds to provide basic city services like fire and police, which are essential to public safety.” 

Despite the increased enforcement, Keating said staffing shortages remain a problem. 

“We could use a couple more people in code enforcement,” he said. “Most cities could … but I would say if we had a couple more code enforcement (officers), we could get at least 50% more done.” 

Litter concerns across the state 

Survey results also point to factors beyond enforcement.  

According to the One CLEAN Gulfport survey, 69% didn’t know how to report litter violations, 56% didn’t think someone littering would be held accountable and 64% said they don’t want to confront someone littering. 

Although 86% said they don’t litter themselves, 83% of them reported seeing other people do so. Across Mississippi, state officials say trash along highways and rural roads remains a challenge.  

According to the Mississippi Department of Transportation, the state spends more than $3.2 million each year removing litter from state highways.  

Rural roads in Mississippi have about 30% more litter than the national average, according to MDOT, and nearly 38% of the state’s litter comes from unsecured loads or accidental spills. 

While MDOT is responsible for state and federal highways, local streets fall under city jurisdiction. That means Gulfport must handle its own cleanup through its code enforcement and public works departments — a costly and ongoing effort city leaders say is difficult to sustain. 

Call for shared responsibility 

City officials said the city is putting up “No Dumping” signs to warn residents of a $1,000 fine and urged them to report violators to the 311 hotline. 

“If they see somebody (littering), take a picture,” he said. “Take a picture of the location, take a picture of the license plate of the vehicle or truck that’s doing the dumping, because we’re going to go after them.” 

For some, the efforts need to go beyond enforcement. They say community involvement and personal responsibility are key to lasting change. 

“Even if you didn’t drop it, just pick it up,” said Landon Greenlee, who has lived in Gulfport for about five years. “We already have trash cans and recycling bins, but people don’t use them. It’s about respecting your neighborhood.” 

Escalante agreed. 

“It doesn’t kill you to just carry your trash until you find a trash can,” she said. “Think about where you live and whether you want your kids to grow up around that.” 

“It’s about pride,” Keating said. “We just need people to take care of what’s around them.”