Council discusses graffiti abatement, small-business anti-graffiti tools and reporting options

Councilmembers and staff discussed current anti-graffiti efforts, a neighborhood cleanup program for residential areas and a small-business assistance program that funds anti-graffiti coatings and security cameras for commercial properties. Staff said the city recently approved additional funding in earlier meetings for neighborhood cleanup and a small-business program targeted at graffiti removal and prevention.

Why it matters: repeated graffiti can depress commercial activity, create perceptions of disorder and impose cleanup costs on small businesses and residents. Councilmembers asked staff to pursue both prevention (coatings, cameras) and rapid response while improving resident reporting channels.

Key details: staff explained the graffiti-removal workflow, noted a recent rise in incidents and said crews record work orders in the city app so staff can track hotspots and response times. Councilmember Victoria Garcia and others said lighting and cameras can deter repeat tagging; staff said anti-graffiti coatings are a clear (transparent) protective layer that requires initial painting, and the city's small-business assistance program can provide funds for coatings and exterior cameras. Staff also agreed to explore a text-based or WhatsApp intake option to make reporting easier for residents who do not use apps.

Next steps: staff will include graffiti metrics in the quarterly project report (My San Fernando app exports), audit close-out notifications to improve resident feedback when a report is completed, pursue applications for anti-graffiti coating and camera assistance, and examine text/WhatsApp reporting options.