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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1995-01-10 - AGENDA REPORTS - GRAFFITI PROGRAM UPDATE (2)AGENDA REPOR ity M ger Approva Item to be presented by: Jeff Kolin Deputy Cit Manager UNFINISHED BUSINESS DATE: January 10, 1995 SUBJECT: GRAFFITI PROGRAM: UPDATE DEPARTMENT: Public Works BACKGROUND At their June 30, 1993 Study Session Public Works staff provided the Council with an update regarding the City's Graffiti Abatement Program. At that time staff presented a report to Council that demonstrated an increasing level of graffiti activity within the City. At that time, working in conjunction with the Santa Clarita Valley Pride Committee, staff requested and received direction from the City Council to implement a number of programs designed to reduce the level of graffiti activity within the City. These programs included the enforcement of Santa Clarita's Curfew Ordinance; the use of City vehicles by Pride Committee Members and; the adoption of a Seven Day Graffiti Removal Ordinance. In the year and four months which have passed since this Study Session, staff believes that the City has made great strides in addressing graffiti activity in the Santa Clarita Valley. At this time, staff is pleased to report that through the outstanding efforts of groups and agencies such as the Anti -Gang Task Force, United Mothers for Santa Clarita, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and COBRA Division, and our Pride Committee Volunteers, the level of graffiti related vandalism has decreased approximately forty percent (40 %) as compared to levels observed in 1993. The following information directly demonstrates the success of our program: VANDALISM REPORTS Total Number of Graffiti Incidents For: 1993 1994 1200 *714 *Projected 1994 Year -End Figures and Amounts qDi L1 i'' L'-.3 GRAFFITI DAMAGE Total Graffiti Related Damage in Dollars For: 1993 1994 $161,423 *$62,900 Agenda Item: Graffiti Program: Update January 10, 1995 Page 2 As these figures demonstrate, the City's Graffiti Abatement Program has enjoyed a great deal of success over the last year and a half. The following summarizes the accomplishments of this program during the last three years: • Establishment of City's Graffiti Abatement Hotline: 25 -CLEAN • Adoption of an ordinance requiring all businesses to place aerosol spray paint containers and marking pens in a secured location • Adoption of an ordinance requiring property owners to remove graffiti from their property within seven (7) days following notification by the City 0 Adoption of an ordinance which prohibits minors from possessing materials deemed as "Graffiti Implements" • Development of a weekend program which utilizes community volunteer supervisors and Court -assigned Community Service Workers working together to abate graffiti • Purchase of a used, 15 passenger vehicle to provide transportation for our Pride Committee Volunteers • Coordination of the "Zero Tolerance" Graffiti Program in July 1994 • Establishment of a Graffiti Tracking System by the Sheriff's Department, which works hand-in-hand with the information gathered and provided to the Sheriff's by our volunteers • Implementation of a Graffiti Reward Program With regard to the City's Graffiti Abatement Reward Program, at their May 24, 1994 meeting Council adopted Resolution No. 94-58, relating to the Graffiti Reward Program. This Resolution revised the City's existing program, and established a program which offered a maximum reward of $500.00 for information provided to the City which lead to the identification, arrest, and conviction of any individual(s) responsible for the placement of graffiti in Santa Clarita. Previous to this action the City's Graffiti Reward Program offered a maximum reward of $1,000.00 per incident. At that time, Councilmember Heidt requested that staff return in six months and provide the Council with a report outlining the number of rewards solicited, and awarded by the City, following the revision of this program. In order for Council to have an understanding of the City's current program, staff believes it is appropriate to review what has transpired to date. During Fiscal Years 1992-93 and 1993-94, the City presented a total of thirteen rewards, totaling $11,500 to residents who provided the City and Sheriff's Department with information that directly lead to the arrest and conviction of approximately 25 individuals responsible for the placement of graffiti in Santa Clarita. An additional $7,250 in matching funds, for the first eight (8) rewards, was provided by the Newhall, Land and Farm Company Graffiti Program: Update January 10, 1995 Page 3 Since the adoption of Resolution 94-58, the City has presented one (1) graffiti reward and has two (2) potential rewards which are pending. It has been the City's policy to appropriate funds in the amount of $6,000.00 each Fiscal Year to this program. Under the City's previous Reward Program, the presentation of three rewards would have represented fifty percent (50%) of the appropriated funding, and on average would be consistant with a time frame of six months. While both the number of pending and presented awards are consistant with this average, staff is aware that to the casual observer it would appear that the number of rewards presented by the City have decreased. It is, however staff s contention that this decrease is not a result of the City's revised program, but is instead a direct reflection of the declining number of graffiti vandalism related incidents within Santa Clarita. It is staffs belief that the decrease in the number of reward s presented by the City is directly related to the overall reduction in graffiti activity throughout the Santa Clarita Valley; and that this trend will continue provided that graffiti activity remains low throughout the Santa Clarita Valley. RECOMMENDATION That Council receive and file staffs report. JK:kmt Rewardup.dat