D.C. residents could be tagged for failing to remove graffiti

WASHINGTON (Map, News) - Private-property owners face hefty fines for failing to address graffiti on their homes and businesses under tough legislation proposed this week by Mayor Adrian Fenty.

The measure, proponents said Thursday, would speed the removal of graffiti by eliminating a requirement that the Department of Public Works obtain a waiver before stepping foot on private property.

Instead, a graffiti complaint would immediately generate a written warning to the building’s owner, providing 72 hours to choose one of three options: request free DPW assistance, personally clean the graffiti, or ignore the problem and face paying 2 1/2 times the cost of the graffiti removal plus $500 for each violation notice.

“It’s just overtaking and overwhelming the resources of the government, and it’s just a visual blight on the city,” Fenty said during a news conference and graffiti-removal demonstration on the 1300 block of Florida Avenue NW.

DPW requires on average 40 days to eliminate graffiti under existing law, Fenty said. The tougher statute should reduce that to a week.

Whether gang-related or just gibberish, letting the vandalism remain for long periods of time “signals that this is not a neighborhood the government cares much about,” the mayor said. The District expects to receive more than 3,600 graffiti-related complaints this year.

“Everywhere, it’s just everywhere,” said Raymond Peters, owner of the row house at 1312 Florida Ave., which was power washed during the exhibition. “I’m very happy to see this.”

DPW will provide a do-it-yourself graffiti-removal kit at no charge for those who choose to erase the offending words and drawings themselves, or the department’s graffiti team will eliminate the problem with its solvents, paints and pressure washers.

The bill also prohibits the sale to minors of aerosol cans, bottles or sprayers designed to dispense paint under pressure, in addition to etching creams and engraving devices.

The measure faces little legislative opposition, said Ward 1 D.C. Council Member Jim Graham, who will usher it through the council.

“I think we’re getting a handle on this issue,” Graham said.

Graffiti removal

» Register a complaint by calling 202-727-1000 or at www.dc.gov

» Graffiti team works 6:45 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Monday to Friday

» DPW pledges to resolve problems within 10 days and gang-related graffiti immediately

mneibauer@dcexaminer.com

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