By Sara Beth Williams–
A surge in illegal dumping and ongoing issues with disruptive youth on bikes emerged as key concerns throughout Sunrise MarketPlace, even as the business district saw improvements in several other areas last year, according to a report presented to the Citrus Heights City Council.
The annual report, submitted to the City Council on April 8, outlined several data points from the business district’s Clean and Safe Program, which involves security and porter services that help clean, assist, and protect businesses, employees, and shoppers.
Throughout last year, 1,412 bags of trash, equivalent to almost 64,000 pounds, were collected by the business district’s porter service in 2025, an increase of over 500 bags or 25,000 pounds compared to the year before.
The team also encountered and removed 173 more large illegally dumped items in 2025 than in 2024, including mattresses, furniture, appliances, pallets, and more. There were also slightly more graffiti tags last year.
Executive Director Kathilynn Carpenter said she and the porter service look for company labels or addresses and will confront those who dump and ask them to come clean it up when possible.
Carpenter reported that, on top of an increase in illegal dumping, the business district has had a significant problem with juveniles on bikes and e-bikes who consistently harass drivers, shoppers, and employees at businesses.
“They’re at the mall quite a bit… They ride around in gangs, approach my car head-on, and split off at the last minute,” Carpenter told the City Council.
Carpenter also said she has witnessed firsthand “little kids with gigantic crowbars [going] to break into SEARS.”
Carpenter went on to explain that these groups of kids ride bikes up and down inside the mall, “throw water bottles, and threaten tenants.”
She alleges that one group of kids harassed her directly, screaming and cursing, for taking photos of them. She said others have also harassed mall security by threatening to claim sexual harassment against them if they call the police.
“I would like to see some stronger [enforcement], something to make them see this is serious behavior,” Carpenter told the City Council, adding that she’d like to see e-bikes confiscated.
It’s more than one group, Carpenter said. adding that Sunrise Marketplace staff has photos of several of the groups of kids and that the kids will often ride bikes through Target and Walmart as well.
Many other stats revealed an improvement in multiple areas of quality-of-life issues. Carpenter said the district has seen a decrease in transient activity beginning in the fall of 2025.
Overall, there were 102 fewer abandoned shopping carts and 60 fewer hazardous materials collected, and fewer instances of business disturbances and instances of loitering, camping, and panhandling. Carpenter attributed the decrease in less transient activity and lost shopping carts to consistent security patrols.
Last year, Carpenter reported that the business district also pushed hard to issue 602, or trespassing, notices. Data shows 88 trespassing notices were issued in 2025, compared to 14 in 2024. However, Carpenter says unhoused individuals don’t usually violate 602s, which means they don’t receive citations unless they violate a single 602.
In its annual report, Sunrise Marketplace emphasized that the SMP Clean and Safe Program has a positive impact on both businesses and shoppers in the district.
“2025 statistics communicate an undeniable fact—security is necessary, and it is effective. The data reflects a measurable reduction in disruptive and criminal activity. At the same time, there was a significant increase in proactive assistance and enforcement efforts, allowing for a strategic shift toward prevention, visibility, and early intervention,” the business district said.
