Graffiti Removal

The City recognizes graffiti as a serious problem.  Graffiti is destructive of the rights and values of property owners and the entire community.  If no action is taken it can add to the deterioration of neighborhoods.  When citizens become involved in active, frequent removal of graffiti, it sends a message that graffiti and other destructive activities will not be tolerated.

Report Graffiti

If you see graffiti vandalism in progress, call 9-1-1. Useful information would be where the vandalism is happening, a description of the individuals doing the graffiti, and a description of their vehicle.

• Graffiti Hotline: Use our 24-hour hotline to report graffiti vandalism - (714) 738-3108.
  • Report graffiti by sending an email to GraffitiH@ci.fullerton.ca.us.
  • Enter a Graffiti Removal request.
• Please be prepared to give the exact location of the graffiti.
• You can report graffiti anonymously.
• Graffiti is usually removed within three days;
  • If the graffiti is obscene or racist, we will make a special effort to remove it as soon as possible.

Graffiti Removal

Where

• Our crew removes graffiti from city-owned property.
• We generally do not remove graffiti on private property that doesn't face a public area - that is the property owner's responsibility.
  • In these instances we will send a technician out to make a determination if it is the City's responsibility or the owners.
  • If a property owner fails to remove the graffiti within a reasonable time, you may call Code Enforcement at (714) 738-6540 to lodge a complaint.
• If the property belongs to another public agency, (such as county or state) we will report it to the proper agency.

When

Graffiti is removed during the regular operating hours of the Maintenance Services Department:

• Monday through Thursday—6:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  Alternate Fridays - 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
  (The City is closed every other Friday)

Although much of the technician's work is based on citizens' requests for service, he also removes graffiti he observes while traveling between graffiti sites.

Who

Graffiti is removed by City personnel. The Maintenance Services Department has designated three employees and two trucks equipped with graffiti removal materials to clean up graffiti.

How

When the graffiti technician arrives at the graffitied site, he will inspect the damage and determine the proper method for removal.

• Water Blasting
  • High pressure water blasting may be used to remove graffiti from walls, sidewalks, or buildings. However, water blasting is not always practical. Repeated water blasting wears away the wall's surface and over time will cause deterioration. If a wall is continually marked with graffiti, the technician will usually paint out the graffiti.
• Paint-Out
  • If the decision is made to paint out the graffiti, the graffiti technician will select the closest match possible to the graffitied item. The graffiti truck is stocked with several paint colors so it is almost always possible to find a very close match.
• Biodegradable Chemicals
  • Certain surfaces can be cleaned with a biodegradable chemical. This type of removal is usually used on metal or glazed surfaces and for relatively small amounts of graffiti.