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Page last updated on July 1, 2019 at 2:35 pm

City of Bloomington Graffiti Removal Policies

Here is some general information on the city's graffiti removal practices:

The City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department cleans up all city parks daily within 24 hours of discovery of graffiti.

The Public Works department removes graffiti on public property, and occasionally railroad overpasses. Public Works uses Street Department crews, facility maintenance staff and private contractors.

HAND (Housing and Neighborhood Development) coordinates clean-up projects with Public Works, Parks and Recreation, community groups, and volunteers.

Indiana & City Code Provisions:

I.C. 35-43-1-2: Mischief (Class D Felony, Class A, or B misdemeanor)
B.M.C. 14.36.050: Defacing or destroying city property
B.M.C. 1.01.131: Violations-penalty

Ordinances:

It is the responsibility of the property owner to restore surfaces damaged by graffiti to an approved state of maintenance and repair. (Bloomington Ordinance 03-08 1 (part), 2003)

*(From Appendix 1 of MEMO on graffiti programs from Marsha Bradford)

How to Organize a Graffiti Clean-Up

  1. Get in touch with the Safe and Civil City Director (355-7777). They will help you get permission from property owners and a graffiti removal kit, which are available to check out a number of community centers and neighborhood organizations.
  2. Use an existing organization as a starting point. Are you already a member of a community center, church, school group, or neighborhood association? If so, those are great places to start because you are already connected to many people who share your ideas. Ask around, see if anyone is interested.
  3. Use the Bloomington Volunteer Network to help you recruit volunteers. Go to bloomington.in.gov/volunteer for more information.
  4. Stay Local. With this organization (or with people you recruited on your own), clean up your neighborhood, a certain block, the area around your local school or community center. Concentrate on one area. Is there an alley that you consider a real eyesore? Get a group together to help clean it!
  5. Maintain an Area. You might want to consider maintaining an area by organizing a group that wants to have a clean-up three times a year or more! These kinds of groups are effective because they let graffiti writers know that there are people who care about that area.