Garden Grove reports 21.5% increase in graffiti removals after expanded abatement services

City staff told the Garden Grove City Council Tuesday that an expanded graffiti abatement program in fiscal year 2024–25 produced measurable gains in responsiveness and overall removals.

Public Works reported that the city added an extra graffiti removal truck during a pilot period and increased coverage to seven days a week. That expanded staffing allowed contractors to remove graffiti proactively on private property facing public streets and to respond more quickly to chronic problem areas. Staff credited the increase in service with improved cleanliness and cross‑departmental coordination.

Key figures reported by staff:

- During the pilot and expanded period, contracted crews removed 930 incidents of graffiti on private property and 3,918 incidents on public property (pilot timeframe Aug–Nov 2024).

- Fiscal year 2024–25 total work orders for graffiti abatement: 14,723, compared with 12,155 work orders in FY 2023–24 — a 21.5% increase year over year.

- Code enforcement opened 2,677 cases in FY 2024–25; 428 of those were related to private‑property graffiti.

Staff also said the program supported emergency cleanups requested by the Garden Grove Police Department and completed pressure washing of sidewalks and bus benches. The report recommended continued monitoring of service levels and exploring long‑term adjustments as needed.

Public commenters raised questions about citations issued for private property cleanup. Code Enforcement staff responded that property owners receive notice letters and are typically given time to remove graffiti before fines are assessed; staff said they would follow up with specific business owners who reported unexpected fines.

The report and recent monthly metrics (April and May 2025) were posted to the city website for public review.