You might have seen it and police confirm it -- graffiti is popping up in more places.
KHOU-TV
Graffiti is popping up in more places around Houston.
This type of vandalism is exploding in Houston and there is one city department now appointed to erase the writing on the wall.
“By the time a citizen sees them spraying it and it goes through 911 network and dispatch an officer they’re probably walking away,” said John Eizman, Neighborhood Protection.
That’s been the case in the Champions area where businesses and delivery trucks have been tagged.
“I don’t know if I’m going to be able to stay here or not,” an area business owner said.
In the past citizens turned to several different agencies for help, but those groups ran out of money. With the resurgence of graffiti, HPD’s Neighborhood Protection will now take on the problem.
“It’s huge,” said Assistant Chief Brian Lumpkin who heads the new unit.
He said his approach to erasing this problem is simple.
“Take some money that the mayor’s anti-gang office had for abatement and we’re going to train our inspectors to supervise probationers and trustees. And we’re going to come out as aggressively and as fast as we can start covering it up,” Lumpkin said.
It’s just a few days into 2006, but inspectors have already begun flagging the estimated 5,000 graffiti sites.
A Montrose location was cited January 10. The four empty spray paint cans 11 News had found were removed.
While Lumpkin’s group will target all graffiti, but first on his list are “The ones that are most hateful and the ones that are race related and the most hurtful,” Chief Lumpkin explained.
Chief Lumpkin said an inspector would check out locations two days after receiving a call.
They’ll place a yellow notice and let the owner know that they have 30 days to clean up the criminal mischief.
If an owner who can afford to clean up doesn’t, the city will spray away the problem and a lien will be placed on the property.
“We’re probably going to be hitting some other locations multiple times before we get it under control,” Chief Lumpkin said.
If you can’t afford to clean up your property you can call neighborhood protection at 713-884-3131. They’ll help you take care of the problem.
To report graffiti in your neighborhood call 311.
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