As one drives down the freeway in Santa Barbara, they pass by walls littered with tagging and various layers of paint.
These walls were once a clean and  uniform color, but over the years they have been a repeated victim for graffiti vandalism.
The city has done its best painting over the graffiti, only to have it reoccur again and again.
The city and residents of Santa Barbara spend thousands of dollars a year cleaning up graffiti on both public and private property. This money could be better used to help the local community in a more positive way, if graffiti vandalism was diminished.
Not only is graffiti removal costly, but according to the National Association of Realtors, properties in areas near graffiti vandalism lose 15 percent of their value.
This poses a threat to Santa Barbara businesses and properties if the vandalism is not handled properly.
When local properties are targeted with graffiti they have a few options for removal.
They can file a graffiti removal form, call the graffiti hotline number—805-897-2513—or clean up the mess themselves.
Graffiti can be cleaned and removed by using spray gel remover, cover paint, and expensive power washing or sandblasting equipment.
Santa Barbara has a team of “graffiti fighters,” that respond to the removal forms and hotline calls sent to the city regarding recent graffiti vandalism.
They go to work in the early hours of the morning, removing graffiti before the public even has a chance to see it. This further deters graffiti vandals because then their work or tags are never seen.
The city also purchased a $85,000 truck equipped with water blasters, paint, and non-toxic chemicals that all can be used to combat graffiti vandalism.
A local, Mike Borrayo, drives this vehicle, patrolling Santa Barbara at dawn for recent graffiti. He also gives property owners notices and three days to clean up the graffiti on their land before the city comes in, fines them, and cleans up the vandalism.
A majority of the graffiti in Santa Barbara is gang related.
The ‘tags’ are how they claim their territory and gain superiority.
The city is caught in a constant battle between the rival gangs and their graffiti vandalism.
Not all graffiti is done by gangs though, a small percent is done by rebellious teenagers with nothing better to do.
Santa Barbara is anti-graffiti vandalism but not anti-graffiti artists.
The city will support graffiti as an art if the artists do not use their skills as vandalism.
Vandalism is when public or private property is painted or drawn on without permission.
Currently, there is a block of open wall space called “Funk Zone”
located
at Helena and Mason Streets.
This area can be used with permission for graffiti artists to showcase their work to the community in a non-detrimental way.