Press release from:
Clackamas County Department of Transportation & Development

Clackamas County Board approves code, pilot program to reduce graffiti and related criminal activity

The Clackamas County Board of Commissioners today (Dec. 18, 2008) adopted a Graffiti Abatement Code and Graffiti Abatement Assistance Program to reduce the negative impact of graffiti in the county.

The new code identifies graffiti as a violation and requires property owners to remove graffiti on their property.  When a violation is identified, county staff will send the property owner a notice asking for the graffiti to be removed within 15 days.  If that isn’t done, the property owner will be issued a citation and forfeiture of up to $500.

Graffiti on public property is the responsibility of the public entity that maintains that property -- e.g., Clackamas County Road Maintenance or the Oregon Department of Transportation.

The Graffiti Abatement Assistance Program will help residential property owners who are willing but unable to eliminate graffiti on their property because of financial or physical limitations.  Qualified participants may be asked to sign a release of liability form and staff will coordinate removal of the graffiti.  Services range from free or discounted supplies from local home improvement and paint stores and county-sponsored labor.

According to the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, graffiti is closely correlated with criminal activity and is found through urban and rural areas of the county, on private and public property.  It is used as a tool by gangs to enlist members, communicate, mark territory and send warnings to rival gangs.  Timely documentation and removal of graffiti is an important first step toward controlling gang activity.

County staff will track graffiti enforcement activities and costs for the next six months, without adding staff, and report findings to the Board.

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For more information:

Andrea Hall
Community Environment Division
503-742-4467
andreahal@co.clackamas.or.us