Graffiti Abatement

About the Program

This program aims to tackle the persistent challenge of unsightly graffiti on buildings, properties, and thoroughfares throughout the city. By targeting the most severe instances of defacement, the program will not only restore the visual appeal of neighborhoods but also actively combat criminal activity, break the cycle of disinvestment, and foster an environment conducive to economic and community growth.

The City has contracted Safe Wash Solutions, a local property maintenance company with expertise in graffiti removal, to provide abatement services. The abatement program has identified a series of priority corridors where immediate removal efforts will take place. Going forward, the program will be responsive to reports of graffiti throughout the city.

Prevent Graffiti

Removal alone will not prevent graffiti in New Orleans. Business owners and community members are encouraged to join in these efforts by adhering to best practices in graffiti prevention and by keeping their properties up to code. Here are some tips for preventing graffiti:

• Plant trees, shrubs, or cacti to restrict access to tempting walls.
• Use good lighting to deter vandals from popular graffiti sites.
• Encourage community groups to adopt a wall or area to keep clean, well maintained, and graffiti free.
• Install public art or murals to dissuade vandalism.
• Use dark or graffiti resistant paint coats on tempting walls or fences.

Graffiti means any sign, inscription, design, drawing, diagram, etching, sketch, symbol, lettering, name or marking which is scratched, painted or sprayed on any surface, regardless of the material of that structural component, in such a location and in such a manner so as to deface the property. Creating graffiti in any manner without consent of the property owner is a crime in the City of New Orleans. Property owners are also required by law to maintain their properties, including by removing graffiti.

Report Graffiti

To report graffiti, residents are encouraged to call 311 or submit a service request online at nola311.org.

Abate Graffiti

First, try using soap and water and a soft brush to remove graffiti. If that doesn’t work, wood can be repainted using the same paint color and type as the original surface. Masonry and concrete may be abated using Dumond Wipeout Graffiti Remover, Dumond Peel Away I, Prosoco’s fast acting tripper, or other graffiti removal products. World's Best Graffiti Removal Products has been tested and determined safe on many surfaces, including historical buildings.

If using anti-graffiti coating on surfaces, look for products that are eco-friendly, resistant to harsh weather, water repellent, and that adhere to surfaces without damaging underlying layers. Look for sacrificial coatings like World’s Best Graffiti Coating (wood surfaces); semi-permanent coatings like SEMI-Guard (natural stone), or permanent anti-graffiti coatings such as APV Engineered Coatings‘ VYNGUARD line (metal and plastic) depending on the type of surfaces from which you are removing graffiti.

**Note** You must have a permit from the Vieux Carre Commission Office to use chemicals or paint to remove graffiti in the French Quarter.