During the National League of Cities conference last week, several delegates from other cities noticed we had a lot of unwelcome graffiti in our city. I love creative art walls and street art, but vandalism for the sake of destruction? No thanks.
Seattle relies on a “complaint based” approach for clean up of unwanted graffiti. Are you tired of tags in your neighborhood? Report them: 206 684 7587. Want to do something more?
Here’s what’s to do per Seattle Public Utilities:
REPORT GRAFFITI – Use the Online Report Form or call the City’s Graffiti Report Line at (206) 684-7587 to report graffiti on public property, or on private property that has persisted for a period of time. Make a police report to (206) 625-5011 when graffiti appears on your property.
If you see an act of graffiti vandalism in progress, CALL 911 AND REPORT IT. Graffiti vandals must be caught in the act to be prosecuted.
REMOVE GRAFFITI ON YOUR OWN PROPERTY – When graffiti appears on your home, apartment building, or business, take a photo to document for insurance purposes. After the police document the vandalism, remove or paint over the graffiti immediately.
VOLUNTEER to clean up graffiti – Organize a one-time event or pledge to keep a four-block area free of graffiti. (This is actually a great neighborhood event). SPU provides supplies and waiver forms (pdf) so you can get written permission from property owners to paint out graffiti on their property.
Thanks for helping keep our city vibrant and clean.