Phoenix Declares February Graffiti Free Awareness Month

Phoenix AZ

30 January, 2021

11:05 AM

Description

Press release from the City of Phoenix: January 29, 2021 Right now, amid the COVID-19 health crisis, we are working together to safeguard our community by spending a lot more time at home and outside in our neighborhoods. We are witnessing changes in the ways we use our communities and the livability of neighborhoods has never been more important. Every year, the Neighborhood Services Department (NSD) hosts #GraffitiFreePHX to encourage residents, neighborhoods and community volunteers to join the city in the effort to keep Phoenix graffiti free. Mayor Kate Gallego signed a proclamation marking the month of February the Annual Graffiti Free Phoenix Awareness Month. Although it will look a little different this year, beginning February 1, NSD will promote the "Graffiti Free Phoenix" program as they have done for the past six years. Phoenix's NSD will color match and provide paint to neighbors wanting to responsibly practice 'distant socializing' that adhere to CDC recommendations of distance while helping to remove graffiti in their neighborhoods. In 2020, the city of Phoenix used 9,800 gallons of paint to cover over 47,988 graffiti sites across the entire city. "Graffiti is a crime. Not only does graffiti damage the property that has been tagged, but it also lowers property values throughout the entire neighborhood. It has also been found that if graffiti isn't removed in a timely manner and allowed to stay visible, it will only attract more graffiti," explains Ginnie Ann Sumner, the co-chair of the Citizens Law Enforcement Anti-Graffiti Initiative, a group of Phoenix community leaders who partnered with police to combat graffiti. However, studies show that if it's removed within 24 hours, its 90 percent less likely to return to the same area. If you see graffiti in progress, call 911 immediately, or if you would like to have it removed call NSD's Graffiti Busters at 602-534-4444. Graffiti Busters will remove graffiti from properties with permission from property owners, but anyone can call in to report graffiti. NSD will verify that a permission slip is on file or obtain one from the owner. Each time graffiti is removed from the property, Graffiti Busters staff will provide the property owner with information on the program and offer free color-matched paint. "We intend to remain strong and focused in our efforts of keeping our residents safe through COVID while making Phoenix a community of desirable neighborhoods," NSD Director Spencer Self said. "Our mission is to Preserve, Enhance, and Engage Phoenix Neighborhoods, but we need help from everyone. Report graffiti to us so we can keep Phoenix graffiti free." NSD and its partners invites the community's help to spread the word about #GraffitiFreePHX by sharing on social media how you and your communities fight back against the vandalism and keep your neighborhood graffiti free. This press release was produced by the City of Phoenix. The views expressed here are the author's own.