For Immediate Release

March 4, 2010

Contact:  (415) 554-6931      

CITY ANNOUNCES PILOT PROGRAM TO CLEAN UP GRAFFITI TAGGED TRUCKS IMPACTING NEIGHBORHOODS

First of its Kind Program Rolled out in San Francisco 

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – The Department of Public Works (DPW) today announced a campaign to eliminate blight from neighborhoods and business districts with a first of its kind “Clean and Green Trucks” pilot program that removes graffiti vandalism from commercial vehicles. Under the City’s plan, owners of graffiti covered trucks registered in San Francisco can apply to have their vehicle painted green by DPW, if they agree to keep graffiti off their vehicle in the future. 



The “Clean and Green Trucks” program will be made available to 15 truck owners in San Francisco to study costs, effectiveness and interest. If successful, the City may expand the program or fund other treatments to rid the City of large, vandalized trucks that are often parked in San Francisco neighborhoods creating blight and prompting neighborhood complaints.



“The people of San Francisco expect the City to deliver innovative, cost-effective ideas to address ongoing issues like graffiti,” said Mayor Gavin Newsom.  “We want to keep our neighborhoods beautiful, so we have to stay out in front with new ideas and programs that show results. We're partnering with artists; we've set up straightforward systems to report graffiti through 311; and now we are focusing on tagged trucks.”



DPW chose the color “Transformer Green” because it is has been effective in deterring graffiti on utility poles, trash receptacles, retaining walls, and other public property where it is used. The dark green color will replace white truck walls that are often seen as an open canvas to graffiti vandals. To date, five trucks have been painted and the program still has 10 opportunities for truck owners to sign on.



California State Senator Leland Yee is looking into possible solutions to help San Francisco address the blight caused by graffitied commercial vehicles.  “Clearly we need to address the issue of blight in our community. I look forward to seeing the result of this program and possibly developing state legislation to bolster this effort.”

"Graffiti is an unnecessary eyesore that hurts our quality of life. The Clean and Green Trucks Pilot Program is a proactive approach that reduces the constant financial burden for our local truck owners; especially during tough economic times," said Board of Supervisor President David Chiu.



Funded with $15,000 from the City Administrator’s Community Challenge Grant Program, the “Clean and Green” Trucks Program follows two recent initiatives sponsored by DPW and the San Francisco Arts Commission also aimed at graffiti prevention: StreetsmARTS partners urban artists with private property owners to create vibrant art and make property less likely to be vandalized and the Where Art Lives Program educates students about the differences between community art and vandalism.



“Graffiti prevention is a good investment in our communities,” said City Administrator Ed Lee. “Community Challenge Grants work best when they empower business owners and the community at large to take charge and improve their neighborhoods.”



“This program sends a message to San Francisco vandals and criminal taggers that their graffiti will not blight our neighborhoods,” said Mohammed Nuru, Deputy Director for the Department of Public Works and Chairperson of the city’s Graffiti Advisory Board “The City spends more than $20 million a year combating graffiti.  A proactive, innovative program that focuses on graffiti prevention will help curb the spread of graffiti and can ease the financial burden for hard working business owners and taxpayers.”



DPW also announced that more than 1,300 San Franciscans have signed the City’s Graffiti Pledge – a pledge drive begun last spring at the Zero Graffiti summit to encourage residents to prevent, remove and report graffiti.  An on-line pledge form is available at zerograffitisf.org.



More information about the DPW’s anti-graffiti programs can be found at www.sfdpw.org and photos of Clean and Green Trucks can be found here. 



DPW is responsible for the care and maintenance of San Francisco’s streets and much of its infrastructure. The department cleans and resurfaces streets; plants and maintains City street trees; designs, constructs and maintains city-owned facilities; inspects streets and sidewalks; constructs curb ramps; removes graffiti from public property; and partners with the diverse neighborhoods in San Francisco to provide stellar cleaning and greening services.

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