Reclaiming a neighborhood – one tag at a time

City Councilmember Eric Ulrich announced that his comprehensive graffiti removal program in District 32 – a joint effort with the Greater Woodhaven Development Corporation – has cleaned up more than 350 locations since mid-August.

            “The difference is night and day,” said Ulrich. “One month ago, you couldn’t walk a block without seeing a storefront or a private home that had been vandalized. Now, we are turning the tide. Not only is this program beautifying the area, but it is also sending a clear message to graffiti vandals that we will no longer tolerate their criminal behavior, and that our neighborhoods deserve respect.”

            Since the program began in mid-August, graffiti removal crews have completed a comprehensive clean-up of three of the district’s most problematic areas: 101^st Avenue between 75^th and 111^th Streets; Rockaway Boulevard between 75^th  and 111^th  Streets; and Woodhaven Boulevard and Cross Bay Boulevard between Atlantic Avenue and the Joseph P. Addabbo Bridge. In the coming months, crews will perform regular monthly maintenance to keep these areas graffiti-free.

            “Thanks to Councilmember Ulrich’s funding, we have been able to restore people’s pride in their community,” said Maria Thomson, Executive Director of the Greater Woodhaven Development Corporation. “While there is still so much work to be done, I know that we are going to win the war on graffiti vandalism. I’d say we’re off to a great start.”

            So far, 64 constituent complaints have been addressed. Ulrich urges all of his constituents to take advantage of this free program. These complaints will be routed to the clean-up crew to remove the graffiti in a timely manner. For more information, residents can call the graffiti complaint hotline at 718-738-1429.