By Aneesa Grant, The Seattle Medium
Seattle Mayor Harrell, in collaboration with Uplift Northwest, recently announced the relaunch of the Graffiti Abatement Program, with a particular emphasis on addressing graffiti in the Chinatown-International District of downtown Seattle.
“We know that graffiti and tagging not only detract from the vibrancy of our neighborhoods, but also have tangible impacts on our small businesses whose storefronts are defaced and on marginalized communities who are targeted by hate speech,” stated Mayor Harrell. “We must combat a surge in graffiti with a One Seattle approach, building partnerships with the community to find thoughtful, sustainable solutions that improve the quality of life for everyone in our city. The relaunched Graffiti Abatement Program will enhance our efforts to beautify our city while also developing our workforce, giving more people critical job training so they can access new employment opportunities and build better lives.”
Max Churaisin, Senior Manager of Mission Programs at Uplift Northwest, expressed excitement about incorporating the new training program into their courses and certifications. Churaisin noted the high level of interest from participants in joining the Graffiti Abatement Program and anticipated continued enrollment, hoping to see more teams deployed throughout the city.
The Graffiti Abatement Program was originally initiated as a pilot project in 2022 by a group of students at City University of Seattle as their final Enactus project. Workers from Uplift Northwest received training on graffiti removal and safety and were deployed to the Belltown neighborhood to identify and remove graffiti from problem areas.
Under the relaunched program, there will be three full work crews consisting of graffiti removal specialists, a project manager, and a field operations coordinator, all supported by Uplift Northwest. These teams will undergo comprehensive training and curriculum and will be dispatched by the City of Seattle and other community partners to identify and abate graffiti on private property.
“The opportunity to include this new training program in our courses and certifications at Uplift Northwest is invigorating, and we’ve seen a great deal of interest from our participants in joining the Graffiti Abatement Program,” said Churaisin. “We expect continued enrollment and hope to see more teams deployed throughout the city.”
Mayor Harrell’s One Seattle Graffiti Plan, of which the Graffiti Abatement Program is a key pillar, aims to increase assistance in reducing graffiti on private property across the city. This comprehensive plan addresses the surge in graffiti incidents Seattle has experienced in recent years, with over 50% growth in reported cases since 2019, including nearly 20,000 reports of graffiti and tagging in 2021.
The relaunched program also aligns with the Downtown Activation Plan, a comprehensive effort to revitalize the downtown economy and maintain vibrant and welcoming neighborhoods for residents, workers, and visitors.
The Graffiti Abatement Program will complement the ongoing efforts of Seattle Public Utilities (SPU), Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), Seattle Center (CEN), and Seattle Parks & Recreation (SPR) teams, who are responsible for removing graffiti from City property and supporting the Metropolitan Improvement District (MID) in their abatement initiatives. Over the past year, city staff have achieved remarkable results, removing 100% of reported graffiti within 10 business days, with more than 98% of graffiti removed within 2 business days.
Seattle residents can report graffiti on public or private property through the online report form or the Find It, Fix It mobile app.
