Timber Ridge Neighborhood Association

BATTLING GRAFFITI

Apr 01, 2007

The City of San Antonio has approved the creation of a Graffiti Abatement Program within the Housing and Neighborhood Services Department. Currently the program is staffed by four employees with a supervisor to be hired by the end of March. The crew is actively abating graffiti along 22 major corridors in San Antonio, averaging approximately 78,000 sq. ft. of graffiti abated per month. The staff is also in the process of developing a City Wide Volunteer Program to encourage pools of volunteers that will be responsible for graffiti abatement in specific areas around the City. The staff also plans to finalize a proposed graffiti ordinance by the end of March.

The District 6 Graffiti Task Force is also exploring ways to combat graffiti through prevention, enforcement, education, abatement and beautification. The Task Force is supporting a pilot program at Anson Jones Middle School called ?“Tagbusters.?” This program provides awards to students who help identify taggers. With support of the local courts, the officers are able to visit the home of the tagger and talk to both the child and his or her parents. The Task Force plans to launch future pilot programs and is looking at ordinance and legislative changes to be proposed at either the local or state level.

Please call 911 if you see a graffiti act in progress and 311 after it has appeared. Free paint is available from the Household Hazardous Waste Facility at 7030 Culebra Road. Their phone number is 207-6460. Statistics gathered from across the country report that graffiti is less likely to reappear if it is removed within 48 hours. If you are a homeowner whose property is repeatedly painted with graffiti, please consider allowing a neighbor to help keep your fence clean by signing a Right of Entry Agreement when asked.