Graffiti Defined

• Any unauthorized inscription, word, letter, figure, symbol, or design 
• Visible from a public place, public right-of-way, or another person's property
• Marked, etched, scratched, drawn, painted, or made in any manner.
• On any surface of tangible property regardless of its content or nature and regardless of the nature of the material of the structural component or property.

 Illegal Graffiti

Examples of unauthorized graffiti include the following:

• Graffiti that does not match the design and use of the subject property.
• There is no written authorization by the owner of the property.
• The person causing the graffiti was unknown to the owner.

Graffiti Prevention Tips

 Graffiti is not only not aesthetically pleasing but it lowers property values and encourages other type of crime in our city. Homeowners, businesses, landlords, and developers can take preventative measures to reduce or eliminate graffiti vandalism from their property. Below are a few helpful tips to keep graffiti at bay:

        Prompt Removal

• Studies show that removal within 24-48 hours results in nearly zero rate of re-occurrence.

   

  Continuous Upkeep

• Make every effort to keep the appearance of the property clean and neat. An exterior appearance that suggests neglect attracts vandals.

   

  Restrict Access through Design

• Plant shrubs, thorny plants, and vines to restrict vandal access.
• Add or improve lighting around the building to promote natural surveillance.
• Use fences, controlled entrance and exits, rails, and other barriers that discourage through traffic.
• Limit access to roofs by moving dumpsters away from walls and covering drainpipes to prevent vandals from scaling them.
• Install a mural.

Enhancing Security

• Install some type of security camera. Businesses may want to employ security personnel to monitor property.
• Employ graffiti resistant materials or coatings on a chronically tagged wall.
• Install motion lighting.

Educating the Youth

• Teaching the youth in your life about the negative effects of graffiti and to gear their creativity into legal art forms.

Reporting Graffiti:

• To report graffiti, please call the graffiti hotline at (954) 828-5100 and leave a message with your name, address of vandalized property, and a call back number.
• If you are the victim of graffiti (vandalism), you may submit an online incident report via our online incident reporting system.

   

  When reporting Graffiti, please have this information ready:

• The location of the graffiti, including cross streets.
• The object with the graffiti on it, such as a wall, utility box, or the side of building.
• Your name and call back number or email address in case our department has any questions.

State Statutes and Code

Florida State Statue 806.13:

https://www.flsenate.gov/laws/statutes/2018/806.13#:~:text=(1)(a)%20A%20person,other%20acts%20of%20vandalism%20thereto.

City of Fort Lauderdale Municipal Code

https://library.municode.com/search?stateId=9&clientId=2247&searchText=graffiti&contentTypeId=CODES