Rapid Graffiti Removal Program to Continue in 2015

After a successful pilot of the Rapid Graffiti Removal Program in 2014, the City of Tacoma’s Neighborhood and Community Services Department will continue to partner with property owners and expand the program to more of Tacoma’s key corridors in 2015.

“During the pilot program, we were able to work with participating eligible property owners to address 219 incidences of unwanted drawings or paint on properties in Tacoma, which was more than 13,500 square feet of graffiti removed,” said Allyson Griffith, the program’s coordinator. 

The program focuses on helping victims of graffiti quickly remove it to help deter more criminal activity in the area. 

“It is important to get the graffiti removed as quickly as possible, because it greatly reduces the chances of being tagged again,” Griffith said, adding, “For property owners who have repeat incidents the program provides a Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design assessment to help owners make their properties less vulnerable to graffiti vandalism.”

In 2015, the City is contracting with Goodbye Graffiti to do the rapid graffiti removal for properties on eligible key corridors.

The service is provided at no cost to the property owner, but eligible property owners do need to return a signed permission slip to the City to be able to participate in the program.

Last year, more than 1,200 property owners turned in permission slips, and this year that number is expected to increase as three areas are added to the program: Market Street – 13th to 21st, Fawcett Avenue – 9th to 25th and Broadway Plaza – 9th to 15thand the Lincoln and South Tacoma revitalization areas.

Property owners may visit cityoftacoma.org/graffiti to see if their property qualifies for the Graffiti Rapid Removal Program and to download a permission slip to participate.