UPDATE: Anti-Graffiti Super Huddle: "Zero Graffiti for a Beautiful City" - April 23, 2009

Mike Cashion, member of the San Francisco Graffiti Advisory Board and BOMA San Francisco; Debbie Shea, vice-chair of BOMA San Francisco's Government and Public Affairs Committee (GAPAC)

Board of Supervisors President, David Chiu

Supervisor Bevan Dufty

The BOMA San Francisco advocacy team attended the Anti-Graffiti Super Huddle: "Zero Graffiti for a Beautiful City" yesterday.  The event was organized by the  San Francisco Graffiti Advisory Board and attendees received information about the city's campaign to defeat graffiti vandalism and learn how to get involved. The event featured guest speakers including Supervisors David Chiu and Bevan Dufty, neighborhood resource tables, and a social hour where attendees were able to meet others who are concerned about this issue.

The following panelists were available to answer questions from the audience:  

• Edward Reiskin, Director of Public Works (DPW)
• Supervisor Bevan Dufty
• Officer Christopher Putz, SFPD Graffiti Unit
• Paul Henderson, Chief of Administration for the District Attorney's Office
• Larry Stringer, Street Environmental Services Superintendent, DPW
• Leigh Ann Baughman, San Francisco Beautiful Executive Director
• Luis R. Cancel, San Francisco Arts Commission, Director of Cultural Affairs
• Edwin Lee, San Francisco's City Administrator
• John Bitoff, Director of San Francisco' Unified School District Facilities Management 
• Fred LaCosse, former San Francisco television broadcaster

The city has adopted a zero tolerance policy toward graffiti, and agencies like DPW, MUNI, Recreation and Parks and the School District, are working hard to keep public streets, parks, schools, buildings and buses free of graffiti tagging. San Francisco property owners have been doing their part by quickly removing graffiti to keep it from spreading. There are also hundreds of residents throughout the city who volunteer to remove graffiti in their neighborhoods.

Thank you to the San Francisco Graffiti Advisory Board for organizing this event.

To report graffiti call the city’s 24 hour customer service center at 311.  More information about reporting graffiti can be found here.