Houston to fine property owners for graffiti

Houston Chronicle ^ | 10 Oct 2006 | By ALEXIS GRANT

[Ro_Thunder]

Property owners or tenants who don't remove graffiti within two weeks after receiving notice from the city could be fined up to $500 under a proposal sent to the City Council on Monday.

Councilman Adrian Garcia, chairman of the committee, said the change would help city officials enforce rules that require Houstonians to remove graffiti on their property in a timely manner.

"People don't want to be at risk of getting a ticket," he said.

Existing law requires property owners to abate graffiti within 30 days, or ask the city to do it.

[Ro_Thunder]

Great - fine the victims. Why not as part of any punishment for the criminal act of vandalism include the cleaning of said vandalism.

If they don't catch the criminals, you still don't need to fine the victim.

[mysterio]

That's almost comical. Maybe we should just replace our government with a big HOA. lol

[JimRed]

The graffiti "artists" caught at it should do public service cleaning it up, whether their own or not. The victim gets his notice and a perp is assigned, no muss, no fuss.

[Lunatic Fringe]

I disagree. If someone steels the wheels off your car in the dead of night, do you have the right to leave it next to the curb on blocks for weeks on end?

The property owners may be victims of vandalism, but they still need to do something. Incidentally, I wonder if the city of Houston will be held to this same standard when it comes to graffiti on buses and city buildings.

[E Rocc]

They should definitely have busted "perps" doing it. One potential problem is the fact that gang related "taggers" consider it a dis if their mess is cleaned up and may retaliate.

-Eric

[tcostell]

Thye had an interesting way of dealing with subway graffiti during the < unnamed Republican New York City Mayor> administration. Some of the graffiti was quite elaborate and apparently took over night to complete. They would let the artists work all night, then show up a little after dawn pull the trains into an easily observable spot, and then paint over, or otherwise remove the work that had taken all night to complete.

It was specifically done for emotional impact... eventually ... the murals stopped.

[Madeleine Ward]

Apples and oranges.

No, you do not have the right to leave your car ON A PUBLIC STREET for weeks on end.

Graffit on YOUR PRIVATE PROPERTY is just that. It's your private property.

Find a different analogy.

[Dixie Yooper]

One potential problem is the fact that gang related "taggers" consider it a dis if their mess is cleaned up and may retaliate

If there were gangs brave enough to go onto another gangs turf and clean up the other gangs tags, that would certainly be a gang to fear. Once it got out of hand, the city would be forced to outlaw paint cans and brushes.

[sgtbono2002]

I dont think you know what happens when they steal the wheels off your car.

When this happens if you dont get the car towed right away they come back for the seats, the doors, the hood and trunk. Most people get them towed right away to avoid this, If the car isnt worth the effort to have towed away the owner removes the tags and the police ticket the car. The police then call a tow truck who removes the hulk and usually gets paid nothing for the tow. He is stuck with the hulk.

My concern is that if the police fine you $500 dollars for leaving graffitti up , What do they fine you for getting roobed by a gunman. Fining the victim isnt cool.

[radar101]

San Diego tried to do this. Went over like a rock in a pond.

A Solution:(Sarc)
License hunters to plink taggers (Graffitti vandals).
Price of license--$1,000
Price of weapon--$1,500-$3,000
Stopping taggers--priceless.

[Lunatic Fringe]

Most property owners are going to do something about graffiti. I think this ordinance is directed more at the landlords and owners of ghetto apartments who do nothing about the tagging of their buildings.

[Jedidah]

Yep. Not just an effort at beautification, but also a way to get the neighborhood involved in controlling gang activity.

[MortMan]

Most private property owners are going to do something about graffiti. I think this ordinance is directed more at the landlords and owners of ghetto apartments who do nothing about the tagging of their buildings.

With one simple word, the entire premise of your statement goes awry. Private property is, well, private.

[wideawake]

If you read the article it says that all you need to do is call the city and they will send someone around to clean it up.

Presumably their cleanup crews consist of graffiti offenders who are put on this detail for community service.

They're saying that you'll be fined if you don't notify the city to clean it or if you don't clean it yourself.

basically, they're saying that one has no right to voluntarily have graffiti on their house.

[winodog]

But illegal aliens are not really illegal. Just undocumented and trying to feed their families. Therefore private property refers to closing the door to the bathroom, not to the actual ownership of walls outside in the air where anyone can use them for shade, warmth or artwork

[DH]

Is it now OK to shoot to kill the vandals, just like any other type of vermin? Answer...NO. They are a protected species utilized to support the need for more lawsuits, that in turn, feed the lawyers.

How about the city making all prisoners that are contained in their jails form a "chain gang" for the sole purpose of removing graffiti around the city? HUH?

[GeorgiaDawg32]

it's a quagmire..the property owners need to redeploy to okinawa..

[Spirochete]

Texas law authorizes deadly force to prevent acts of vandalism at night.

[Hegemony Cricket]

Some might find it easier to just shoot the tagger, and then clean up the bloodstains...

[Between the Lines]

I think this ordinance is directed more at the landlords and owners of ghetto apartments who do nothing about the tagging of their buildings.

The biggest thing this new law does is transfer liability from the owners to the occupants. While apartment owners would still have to clean up the graffiti, landlords who own other types of property will benefit. My guess is that the landlords support this proposition.