Community Resources
Organizing an Adopt-A-Block Program for Graffiti Removal
Adopt-a-block programs are an effective way to engage volunteers in ongoing graffiti cleanup, rather than just a one-time paint out. They also help keep targeted locations graffiti-free.
Recruit individual residents to volunteer, as well as neighborhood groups, businesses, schools, and service organizations and clubs.
San Jose makes the program easy for over 2,700 individual adopt-a-block volunteers. They can sign on to cleanup graffiti at neighborhood meetings, receive a brief training, and get a removal kit on the spot.
In San Diego County over ten groups - many of them youth - have made a formal commitment to keep a specific area clean, including a skate park that was a graffiti hot spot.
Tips for Getting Started:
- Round up volunteers
- Create a volunteer application.
- Identify cleanup locations.
- Ensure consent from property owners.
- Help with needed supplies.
- Offer graffiti education and training.
- Keep track.
- Celebrate and provide incentives.
Round up volunteers.
Once you've set up adopt-a-block for graffiti removal, outreach to volunteers with aggressive recruiting. Spread the word at community and neighborhood meetings, on the city's web site, in community newsletters, fliers/mailers, and other communication to residents. If the community already has an adopt-a-block for litter cleanup, this can be an expansion of that program.
Create a volunteer application.
Have individuals or groups that want to participate submit an "adopt-a-block agreement" form or simply sign an application in exchange for a graffiti removal kit.
Use the agreement to spell out how volunteers commit to watch for graffiti in a designated area and try to remove it as quickly as possible. Also educate them about any hotline to report graffiti they are not able to remove. Have applications available at community meetings, on-line, at libraries, or city offices. For groups applying, require a designated leader. Also consider a minimum age requirement to participate.
Identify cleanup locations.
Volunteers will probably want to select the location they wish to keep graffiti-free. If not, the city could keep a list of locations where graffiti is a chronic problem. Cleanup sites can include a single structure or wall, or an area of several blocks.
In San Jose, volunteers can choose to cleanup graffiti anywhere and anytime. They might keep the utility box on their street graffiti free or cleanup graffiti anywhere in the city they happen see it. Many volunteers keep a removal kit in their car.
Ensure consent from property owners.
In most cases, volunteers are removing graffiti from public property, with consent a part of the adopt-a-block agreement. For cleanup on private property, volunteers or the city will need to get a consent form and keep it on file. Check out San Diego's consent form.
When registering for the program in San Jose, volunteers sign a liability form that allows them to cleanup on public property. For graffiti on private property, they are encouraged to report it to the city for removal.
Help with needed supplies.
Most adopt-a-block programs arrange for volunteers to acquire graffiti cleanup and removal supplies. Consider providing a graffiti removal kit as well as a way to request or get access to paint, brushes, and rollers. This might be a paint bank, where these supplies can be "borrowed" from a central location, such as a fire station, as needed. A typical graffiti removal kit will include:
- solvent to take graffiti off poles, non-reflective street signs, mailboxes, fire hydrants, dumpsters, newspaper boxes, phone booths, bus stops, and utility boxes;
- a scrubber/sponge;
- cotton rags;
- goggles and plastic gloves; and
- the material safety data sheet (MSDS) for the solvent.
Contain these materials in an easy to store and carry container, such as a paint can or carrying box.
To respond to an increase in graffiti tags, the Reno Police Department created a "Graffiti Removal Kit" for residents and businesses. The result of this effort is a 20% reduction in graffiti. Learn more.
Offer graffiti education and training.
Offer volunteers a one-time graffiti education and training, including tips for removal on specific surfaces using chemical solvent or paint. Include any specific procedures for acquiring needed supplies.
Also provide information on the local impact of graffiti, graffiti vandal motivations and the value of rapid removal, tips for prevention, how to identify gang graffiti vs. graffiti tags, and any local anti-graffiti ordinances. Encourage volunteers to contact the city or law enforcement if they think it is gang graffiti.
Keep track.
Establish a way to track volunteers and their results. Ask volunteers to report each month or quarterly. The city may also want to include graffiti cleanup events in a database to tally the amount of graffiti removed.
As another option, San Jose tracks the amount of solvent and paint supplies they give out and then estimates removal and volunteer hours. They also complete a small, random survey each month to ask volunteers how many times they have removed graffiti. The city conducts an annual survey of graffiti tags.
Celebrate and provide incentives.
Recognize the contribution of volunteers. Announce results to the media and the community. If possible, also provide incentives. San Jose rewards their over 2,700 adopt-a-block volunteers with recognition events, holiday parties, networking picnics, free T-shirts, and complimentary tickets to special events.
