Is the city still cleaning graffiti? (Chicago, Evanston: crime, tenant, landlord)

[bostonguy1960]

I detest graffiti. Forget about the art vs. vandalism debate. If permission isn't granted, it's vandalism. Even if it's granted, I hate it.

I recall Mayor Daley in the 90s starting the GraffitiBusters program. He had visited NYC, and vowed Chicago would never look that bad, with graffiti seemingly everywhere in NYC. Yes, that was a different NYC back then, but whatever...

During my 36-hour visit a few years ago, the highways from O'Hare and into Lake Shore Drive seemed relatively clean of tagging and bombing -- at least from a nighttime perspective.

Since, Chicago has grappled with lots of crime (and budget issues, I think?). I recall the Sun-Times printing an article two or three years ago about the city's cutting back their budget for graffiti removal.

I didn't travel into much of the lower-income areas, but is the North Side, Loop and near West Side, even Evanston, still as clean as to be expected in a large city? I did notice lots of the Red Eye and other newspaper boxes around Wrigley infested with graffiti and stickers. What an eyesore (although I realize most don't mind that or do approve because it's harmless street art, according to them).

I have many such posts on C-D through the years. Weird? Possibly, but I am serious Cities and transit systems spend millions yearly to clean this vandalism -- for a reason. And volunteer groups help, too, because they hate it.

[NealIRC]

I guess the city's policy of reporting graffiti for a 1st time they will clean for free, after that, you're on your own.

[NARFALICIOUS]

Originally Posted by bostonguy1960

I detest graffiti. Forget about the art vs. vandalism debate. If permission isn't granted, it's vandalism. Even if it's granted, I hate it.

I recall Mayor Daley in the 90s starting the GraffitiBusters program. He had visited NYC, and vowed Chicago would never look that bad, with graffiti seemingly everywhere in NYC. Yes, that was a different NYC back then, but whatever...

During my 36-hour visit a few years ago, the highways from O'Hare and into Lake Shore Drive seemed relatively clean of tagging and bombing -- at least from a nighttime perspective.

Since, Chicago has grappled with lots of crime (and budget issues, I think?). I recall the Sun-Times printing an article two or three years ago about the city's cutting back their budget for graffiti removal.

I didn't travel into much of the lower-income areas, but is the North Side, Loop and near West Side, even Evanston, still as clean as to be expected in a large city? I did notice lots of the Red Eye and other newspaper boxes around Wrigley infested with graffiti and stickers. What an eyesore (although I realize most don't mind that or do approve because it's harmless street art, according to them).

I have many such posts on C-D through the years. Weird? Possibly, but I am serious Cities and transit systems spend millions yearly to clean this vandalism -- for a reason. And volunteer groups help, too, because they hate it.

Are you moving to Chicago?

[chet everett]

Looks like the links are still active -- City of Chicago :: Graffiti Removal Services

[marothisu]

The city gets a lot of 311 requests per day for graffiti removal. You can see individual ones here. Last week there were over 2400 requests:

https://data.cityofchicago.org/Servi...oval/hec5-y4x5

[18th&BlueIsland]

My experience is that they will eventually get to it, but not usually very quickly. It seems to help if the property owner requests it rather than a tenant (my landlord has told me I can use his name when I report tagging on my building). If a bunch of places were tagged on the same block, the more people who report it the quicker they will get to that area.

[18th&BlueIsland]

Originally Posted by NealIRC

I guess the city's policy of reporting graffiti for a 1st time they will clean for free, after that, you're on your own.

They've painted over the door to my building for free many times. It might help that my door is right on a major commercial corridor, though.

[long101]

My neighbors and I had our garages 'tagged' last year. Our neighbor called 311, and they were out within 48 hours.