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Getting Rid of
Graffiti!
How the North Park
Community is Working
to Keep Our Neighborhood Clean and Beautiful.
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| The City of San Diego spends over a million
dollars each year on graffiti abatement, education, and enforcement. This
amount does not include the millions more spent by other public agencies,
utility companies, and private property owners to remove graffiti from their
properties. Law enforcement, education and prevention, and quick abatement
are the keys to eradicating the graffiti problem. Read below to find out
about community efforts to remove graffiti,
what you can do to help stop graffiti in your neighborhood, and view
important contact information.
North Park Main Street is now part of a broad
coalition to combat graffiti here in North Park. In addition to Main Street,
this Graffiti Abatement Team includes the North Park Community Association,
The North Park Neighborhood Watch, Stonewall Citizens Patrol, and concerned
members of the community. The Graffiti Abatement Team partners with
the San Diego Police Department, City Attorney's Office, Council District 3
(Councilmember Toni Atkin's office), and Urban Corps of San Diego.
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What You Can Do
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There are a number of steps you can take to
combat graffiti when it occurs in your area:
- When you see vandalism
in progress call 911 and report it immediately to the San Diego Police
Department (SDPD). The police will respond based on the priority of
the crime compared to others for which they have calls at the time. Do not
confront vandals.
- If you notice graffiti
in your neighborhood on public or private property, call the Graffiti
Control Hotline, 619-525-8522. These calls are confidential
and city crews remove graffiti from city property, usually within four
days of receiving a report. City Code Compliance Officers must notify
private property owners of graffiti on their property and of their
responsibility to remove it. Depending on the cooperation of property
owners, it could take longer for graffiti to be removed from private
properties.
- Report Graffiti Online
usint the Graffiti Control Sighting/Complaint Form. This can be
obtained by visiting
http://www.sandiego.gov/graffiti.
- Participate in the
Spray and Pay Program. Citizens may be rewarded up to $500 for
information leading to the arrest and conviction of graffiti vandals.
For more information, go to any City of San Diego Community Service
Centers, San Diego Police Department storefronts, or contact the
Graffiti Control Hotline at 619-525-8522.
- Remove graffiti on your
property immediately. By painting over graffiti as soon as possible,
you will discourage further graffiti. Graffiti vandals want to be
recognized for their work, and once they realize that their graffiti is
removed quickly from a location, they will ultimately move on to other
locations. It may take multiple paint-outs to deter the vandals, but be
persistent. North Park Main Street offers graffiti removal solution on
loan to local business.
- Take advantage of the
City of San Diego’s Paint and Materials Exchange Bank where citizens
can obtain free recycled paint in limited colors for graffiti removal.
Call the Paint Bank at 619-527-5419 to make an appointment for pick
up of paint and supplies.
- Take pictures. If
you plan to paint out graffiti, you can assist law enforcement by taking a
photo (include name, date, and time of incident) first, and calling the
SDPD non-emergency number, 619-531-2000.
- If you are physically
unable to remove graffiti you may obtain a Consent Form. This
grants the City the authority to remove graffiti at no charge.
- Prevent future
graffiti. Check your local hardware store for special products that
can be applied to surfaces, making them graffiti resistant. Ideas include
installing good lighting on walls and fences which may be vulnerable to
graffiti , planting shrubs or climbing vines to restrict access to
graffiti prone areas (plants with thorns or foul scents are especially
useful deterrents), and painting murals. Cover murals with two to three
coats of latex exterior, satin, or clear polyurethane to make future
removal easier. Also, get to know your neighbors and encourage them to
watch for and report graffiti vandals.
The City of San Diego and
SDPD Graffiti Strike Force take graffiti very seriously. Letting graffiti
remain longer than 24 hours often results in more graffiti, increased crime,
and a reduction in property values. Property owners who fail remove
graffiti in a timely manner may be subject to administrative penalties
and/or misdemeanor prosecution. Let’s work together to keep North Park
graffiti-free!
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Contact Information
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| North Park Main Street: 619-294-2501
City of San Diego Paint & Materials Exchange Bank:
619-527-5419
Council District 3 (Councilmember Todd Gloria's office):
619-236-6633
Graffiti
Control Hotline: 619-525-8522North Park
Community Association: http://www.northparksd.org/
San
Diego City Attorney's Office: 619-702-7198
San Diego Police
Department (Non-Emergency Number):
619-531-2000
Stonewall Citizens Patrol:
http://www.orgsites.com/ca/stonewallcitizens/
Urban Corps of
San Diego: 619-235-6884 |
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