SHIFTING THE BURDEN OF GRAFFITI REMOVAL

FROM PUBLIC WORKS TO THE PUBLIC

The Chicago Method

The Panel

Alderman Proco Joe Moreno

1st Ward Chicago

Adam Natenshon

Founder, Graffiti Action Hero.org

SoSafe US/Canada Master Distributor

Jerry Gabrielatos,

1st Ward Chicago, Senior Advisor

The Problem

Graffiti tagging causes neighborhood decline by...

• Encouraging street delinquency and criminality

• Depressing commercial activity

• Discouraging community reinvestment

• Reducing property values

• Draining tax dollars from constructive uses such as parks, schools and streetscape improvements.

The Solution: Graffiti Action Days

Volunteer graffiti removal events empower the community to reclaim their neighborhood from the visual blight of graffiti.

Accomplishments To Date

20 Graffiti Action Days since summer 2012 resulting in:

� Approximately 160 blocks cleaned

� Approximately 240 volunteers

� Approximately 10,000 tags removed

Mission

To harness the power of green innovation

to empower urban renovation

by mobilizing a volunteer army

to rid our cities of graffiti.

Effectiveness

SoSafe graffiti removers:

� Act fast

� Completely remove most tags within minutes

� Clean without impacting the underlying surface

Volunteers are foot soldiers to City’s mounted cavalry

Focus

Focus on the low-hanging fruit* where ~80% of tags are

� Paint, marker, grease pen, stickers, etc.

� Non-porous surfaces

� Mailboxes

� Newspaper boxes

� Parking meters

� Lamp posts

� Bus benches

� Signs

*Does not work on acid etchedwindows or large porous surfaces such as limestone and concrete.

The Graffiti Action Day

10 am to noon followed by lunch donated by local restaurant

Brief training and demo (15 minutes)

Tools:

� SoSafe Red and Blue Spray Bottles

� Ventless goggles and nitrile gloves

� Scouring pads

� Rags and Buckets

� SoSafe Rapid Off and Scrappers

(for sticker removal)

Safety and Enviro Sustainability

SoSafe Graffiti Removers are highly environmentally-friendly and therefore safe enough to be used by non-professionals

� Non-Toxic

� Non-Flammable

� Non-Aerosol

� Low VOC

� pH Neutral

� Biodegradable

� No Xylene

� No Acetone

� No Toluene

The Cost

Graffiti Action Days shift the cost burden of graffiti removal from the municipal budget to volunteer neighborhood groups.

Public Works cost:

$25 to $50 per tag

Volunteers cost:

$0.50 to $1 per tag

The Impact

� Volunteers can quickly and safely remove hundreds of graffiti tags.

� Volunteers report cleaning an estimated 30 to 50 tags per person, during the two-hour events.

The Math

� 12 volunteers x 40 tags = 480 tags

� City ave. cost per tag $35 x 480 tags

=$16,800 savings for city

and 480 fewer tags

Graffiti Action Day Kit

Kits come in multiples of 12

Include:

� SoSafe Graffiti Remover

� Supplies

� Choice of customizable poster

� Customizable press release

� Product use sheet

� Waiver form

Typical cost: $350

Leadership

Typically spearheaded by

• Aldermanic Offices

• Chambers of Commerce

• Municipalities

• Schools and Church Groups

• Block Clubs

• Neighborhood Orgs

• Non-Profit Groups

Working with Property Owners

Phase 2

Reducing the Amount of Graffiti

1. Identify buildings that are tagged the most frequently.

Reducing the Amount of Graffiti

2. Discuss the problem with the owners of these buildings.

3. Present options to owner to deter continued tagging.

Instead of Graffiti, how about . . . ?

Installing a Mural

Instead of Graffiti, how about . . .?

Using an Anti-Graffiti Shield

Instead of Graffiti, how about . . . ?

Empowering property owners of the most tagged buildings with resources to perform the removal.

Reducing the Amount of Graffiti

Tagging is about visibility. By removing the potential for the most visible spaces to be tagged, the overall amount of graffiti will be reduced.

What are the consequences?1. Faster response time by the City’s Graffiti Blasters2. Resources of the City can be utilized more

efficiently.

Q&A

Alderman Proco Joe Moreno

Adam Natenshon

Adam@SoSafeUSA.com www.GraffitiActionHero.org

773-398-5210

Booth #2004

Jerry Gabrielatos,

1st Ward Chicago, Senior Advisor