Jump to content

Wash DC


colonisms

Recommended Posts

This forum is supported by the 12ozProphet Shop, so go buy a shirt and help support!
This forum is brought to you by the 12ozProphet Shop.
This forum is brought to you by the 12oz Shop.

not pics, but funny, none-the-less... especially the "etching sloution" part.

 

 

"THE DISTRICT ATTACKS GRAFFITI PROBLEMS

 

Columbia Heights, Adams Morgan Targeted in City’s First Efforts

 

A coalition of city agencies, private organizations and businesses will team up with dozens of resident volunteers on Saturday, July 19, 2003, in the city’s first organized “Graffiti Removal Day” set to take place in the Columbia Heights and Adams Morgan neighborhoods.

 

The cleanup projects, organized by the Mayor’s Clean City Initiative, Department of Public Works, DC Public Schools, the Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority, Metropolitan Police Department, and the local Advisory Neighborhood Commissions, are the first in a series of neighborhood cleanups directed at graffiti removal. Subsequent cleanups are being planned for neighborhoods in each of the city’s eight wards over the next few months.

 

“The city is taking a major step in addressing a very serious and persistent problem – one that affects not only the quality of life here but does enormous economic harm,” said Clean City Coordinator Mary C. Williams.

 

Spraying graffiti on private or public property, also known as defacing or destruction of property, is against the law and could result in civil penalties and/or a criminal citation.

 

The Graffiti Removal Day begins at 9 a.m. Saturday and will continue until 4 p.m. There will be two separate staging areas for the events.

 

In Columbia Heights, the staging area for volunteers will be the Community Market, located in the southwest corner of 14th and Irving Streets, adjacent to the Columbia Heights Metro Station.

 

In Adams Morgan, volunteers can register and pick up painting supplies at the Marie Reed Elementary School, in the 2100 block of 18th St., beginning at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday. HELP DC HELP DC

 

Volunteer organizations and businesses that would like to participate in the cleanups should contact the Clean City Initiative at 202-671-1403, or e-mail the Clean City Coordinator at maryc.Williams@dc.gov. In Ward 1, people may also contact Councilmember Jim Graham’s Office.

 

Plans for the citywide graffiti removal were approved by Mayor Anthony Williams last month. Noting an increase in the presence of graffiti throughout the city, especially in business districts, merchants in many neighborhoods have complained of being repeatedly targeted, resulting in costly cleanups and removals. In several instances, the vandals have used an acid-based solution that left a permanent etching in the glass of some storefronts, forcing some businesses to spend thousands of dollars to replace the window.

 

While city law requires that property owners remove all graffiti immediately at their own cost or risk a fine, Mayor Williams pledged to use city resources to help ease the burden for property owners hit hardest by the vandals. Paint will be provided upon request to groups who want to cover graffiti in public places. The Department of Public Works will also use its graffiti blasting machines throughout the day and will erase the larger signs on prominent buildings. The DC Public School system will also have workers out that day cleaning up markings at Marie Reed Elementary School and the Bell Multicultural School.

 

City resources are limited so the removal will be done based on severity of the graffiti and the need for assistance, Williams said. Businesses with small amounts of markings are encouraged to remove the graffiti immediately.

 

Ms. Williams said graffiti in the District is not just a question of aesthetics or economics.

 

“Often graffiti, or the spray-painted taggings, are indicators of gangs and are frequently used as markers for different gangs. In many cases, the taggings are followed by gang violence. This aspect makes graffiti a priority for the Mayor, whose top initiatives this year include public safety and economic development,”

 

Ms. Williams said.

 

Columbia Heights Weed & Seed Coordinator John De Taeye pointed out that cleaning the graffiti will not eliminate the recurring problem. De Taeye said he plans to have a graffiti artist on hand to talk to aspiring young artists about the responsible and appropriate way to display their art.

 

The city is also reviewing a host of deterrents, including a graffiti camera that has been used effectively by some cities in California and the introduction of stricter criminal penalties for violators.

 

The Metropolitan Police Department’s gang and environmental crimes units are helping in this effort. District 3 Police Officer Christian Kimble has studied graffiti problems for years and has volunteered to work as the local expert.

 

Police Lt. Charnette Robinson has made graffiti removal in her patrol area (Police Service Area 411) a top priority. Since March, Lt. Robinson has organized several cleanups along some of her worse alleys, engaging neighborhood kids to paint over the signs.

 

“If we’re going to make a difference in our neighborhoods, we have to start by cleaning THEM up,” Lt. Robinson said. "

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...