The Guerrilla Gardeners of Downtown East began in 2009 as a "compact" or agreement between urban flower pot gardeners and residents of the East Market/Broad Street neighborhood in York City, Pennsylvania. Simply put - if residents agreed to keep their sidewalks litter free, and only placed trash out for collection the night before scheduled pick-up, guerrilla gardeners would place a garden pot with flowering annuals in the spring and summer, mums in the fall and greenery over the winter months in place of the trash pile. What began with a few homes and apartments quickly spread and as of 2019 over 40 homes and apartments have agreed to the concept. York City's Guerrilla Gardeners routinely care for street trees, planters and front gardens that have been neglected or fallen into disrepair. Several gardeners focus on litter removal, one ensures street lamps are replaced when they burn out, two focus on seasonal leaf and snow removal. In 2013, Ralph Serpe received the Downtown, Inc. Beautification Award on behalf of the Downtown East Guerrilla Gardeners.