ABSTRACT
Graffiti are illegal inscriptions on private property and in public spaces and, as such, they are commonly regarded as vandalism, a blight, a crime, an attack on private property, and a deterioration of the quality of life. Since the 1990s, many cities throughout the world and particularly in the United States have launched a “war on graffiti.” San Francisco has been one of the leaders in this respect: its 1994 Graffiti Removal and Abatement Ordinance (ordinance 29–94) was reinforced a decade later by the 2004 Blight Ordinance (ordinance 263–04) and in 2008 by the Community Preservation and Blight Reduction Act (ordinance 256–08). As an outcome of this series of stricter and stricter policies, the owners of property bearing graffiti must remove it, or they may request a public hearing, within thirty days of the notice. If no steps are taken within thirty days the city removes the graffiti and may charge up to $500 plus an attorney’s fee. In practice, the city’s Department of Public Works alone spends more than $20 million a year removing graffiti, while the Municipal transit system spends approximately $12 million.
