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Denver Action Team presents data: over 7,000 graffiti removals year-to-date and pilot for blanket authorization
Summary
Denver Action Team staff told the mayor and council their team has completed more than 7,000 graffiti work orders year-to-date, is on track for roughly 2.2–2.5 million square feet of removal this year, and proposed streamlining authorizations with a digital form and potential blanket opt-out approach.
Denver Action Team staff briefed Mayor Mike Johnston and the City Council on the city's graffiti-abatement program, reporting program metrics and outlining operational practices and potential process changes.
Joey Hernandez, introduced by the mayor as part of the Denver Action Team (Solid Waste Management), said the team transitioned from Denver Partners Against Graffiti to a more visible 'Denver Action Team' that uses wrapped trucks, power washers and a 'high ranger' lift to remove graffiti and small debris from public spaces. "We moved to the Denver Action Team because we wanted to be a little bit more visible in the community," Hernandez said.
Jeremiah Catalano provided performance figures: "On this one, year to date, we're over 7,000 work orders completed," he said, adding the team is on track to complete more than 16,000 work orders this year. Catalano reported roughly 935,619 square feet removed to date and projected between 2,200,000 and 2,500,000 square feet for the year, citing early-season weather impacts on productivity. He said the team's average close time is "0.7 days" and that approximately 65% of its work is proactive.
Program methods discussed included vehicle and equipment details (box trucks outfitted with commercial paint sprayers and power washers and a high-ranger lift for work above two stories) and cleaning chemicals referenced in the presentation. Hernandez said the team aims to restore property surfaces to their initial state and emphasized care when working on private property.
Presenters described how residents report graffiti: via 311, by text, or through the city's AI bot 'Sunny'; staff said descriptions and addresses often suffice for the team to locate and abate graffiti. The presenters described using routing software (Circuit for Teams) to distribute work efficiently across seven trucks and three helpers, with the high-ranger unit operating citywide for taller removals.
Councilmembers pressed on property-owner authorization procedures. Presenters confirmed an authorization form exists and said an employee, "Bobby," digitized the form as an innovation and that the team is exploring a blanket approval with an opt-out option to reduce transactional burdens. The presenters framed this as a proposed operational improvement rather than a policy change adopted that day.
Councilmembers also praised the team's responsiveness in individual districts, noted challenges distinguishing graffiti from recognized murals in places like Five Points, and recognized staff participation in continuous-improvement efforts (Black Belt / Six Sigma references).
The presentation closed with councilmembers thanking staff and inviting them to pose for photos.
