The Graffiti Removal Project

Posted by Jon Winston

Sara Winterburn, former teacher, mom, marathoner and extreme volunteer at the Santa Cruz Volunteer Center opened her talk with the unsettling news: Folks, We Have a Problem!

Sara is program director for the Graffiti Removal Project (GRP) administered through the SC Volunteer Center and responsible for graffiti removal in unincorporated SC County.

The graffiti problem has been getting worse with the escalation of gang and "crew" activity in and around Santa Cruz. A typical quarter has the GRP cleaning about 26,000 sq ft of tagged walls. Last quarter (fall '07) they cleaned up over 76,000 sq ft!

The solution to this problem is to support the GRP and get involved in any way you can: Volunteer to clean up tags; call the hotline to report graffiti when you see it; support the painting of murals which discourages tagging.

View the Graffiti Removal Project flier and contact information for other local jurisdiction's graffiti removal agencies by clicking here.