February marks a record-setting month for problems with graffiti in the Santa Cruz area. City officials said dry weather might have been a factor. Now they’re releasing a new app to help stay on top of clean-up efforts.
KION, Brandon Castillo, Reporter, brandon.castillo@kionrightnow.com – March 1, 2016
From the City Manager’s weekly report
February is up to a record high, with 378 tags for the month so far, an increase of 62% over last February. It is likely that the nice weather we have been having has contributed to the climbing graffiti totals, and we have had a lot more reports coming in from our citizens city-wide.
Analicia Cube with Take Back Santa Cruz interviewed by KION
“Unfortunately at night our playgrounds become playgrounds for the wrong things. Drug activity and gang activity and all of that comes from graffiti,” said Analicia Cube with Take Back Santa Cruz. “It’s a broken windows theory, get it cleaned, get it cleaned fast and if you keep cleaning and cleaning it fast they’ll stop doing it,” Cube said.
Quick removal within 24-48 hours is proven to be the most effective deterrent against graffiti vandalism.
The City of Santa Cruz provides the following resources for reporting and removing graffiti:
- If you see someone tagging or suspect vandalism is going to take place, do not hesitate to call 911.
- Call the Graffiti Hotline at 420-5303 to report graffiti tagging on public or private property in the City of Santa Cruz or
- Email the Graffiti Hotline at graffiti@cityofsantacruz.com
- The Santa Cruz Economic Development Department is offering free graffiti removal kits for those who want to help clean-up. Call the hotline at 420-5303 for more details about getting the free graffiti removal kit
- New Online Graffiti Reporting Form – convenient online form to allow you to report graffiti online using your computer or mobile device.