More On Graffiti

Hello Ms. Lyons,
Nothing personal but your responses to my concerns seem rather boiler plate - let alone that they do not address anything specifically except in general about Green Team.
Tourists note these improvements? I don't live where tourists go.
Resources misused? A proactive response might ask why? By whom? How is it avoided? Your sarcasm about every half hour is all you can offer?


--- On Tue, 6/29/10, Lyons, Nancee (DPW) Nancee.Lyons@dc.gov> wrote:

From: Lyons, Nancee (DPW)
Subject: RE: Graffiti and Litter chat questions

Date: Tuesday, June 29, 2010, 11:25 AM

All of your concerns are our concerns and we have made great strides in improving the sanitation of Washington, DC, which is regularly noted by tourists. Keeping a clean city takes more than just one government agency. It takes a variety of different entities, including citizens. DPW services are broad and varied. Yes, overflowing public litter cans are a concern but we would have to empty each these cans every half hour to keep them from overflowing when they are being misused. Having the Green Team or BIDs to help keep litter under control is not indicative of an agency failure, it’s an example of government, the business community and volunteers working in concert to help stretch resources. This is just how it should be. DPW doesn’t have the resources to keep constant watch to ensure there is no litter on the street. The Green Team is in place to help us achieve our goals. But citizens also are urged to join us in the fight to keep their communities clean. We encourage neighborhood clean ups and provide free tools and trash bags to achieve this.

Very few cities have a free graffiti removal service. Up until recent legislation, DPW could only remove graffiti by request by the property owner. The graffiti you see on public spaces (that do not belong to the federal government) can be removed once they are spotted and reported. Typically graffiti is removed within 10 days after a request. Gang-related graffiti is removed sooner.

Litter and graffiti is not unique to Washington, DC. It is something all cities are grappling with and there is no perfect solution. In a perfect world, citizens would pick up after themselves and have too much respect for public property to paint graffiti on structures that do not belong to them. In the absence of this we, like every other sanitation service, are doing the best we can. It will take need more than suggestions and complaints from citizens to help achieve a cleaner DC. It will take their collaboration.

Nancee Lyons

Public Affairs Specialist

DC Department of Public Works

2000 14th Street, NW, 6th Fl.

(Reeves Center)

Washington, DC 20009

(202) 671-2637, 671-0642 (fax)

www.dpw.dc.gov Visit us on Facebook!

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Sent: Tuesday, June 29, 2010 5:58 AM
To: Lyons, Nancee (DPW)
Subject: Graffiti and Litter chat questions

Subject: Re: [columbia_heights] Live, Graffiti and Litter Date: Tuesday, June 29, 2010, 5:57 AM As much as I am bothered about an increase in graffiti in my area, I am very concerned about what appears to me as DPW's inability (refusal?) to deal with it when graffiti is reported. Two patches of graffiti remain in my area after multiple 311 calls and service numbers. Both patches were reported to 311 and service numbers were taken. Patch 1 was partially completed and patch 2 was not touched at all, yet 311 reported the service numbers as completed. A second service number was taken for the patch that was not touched at all - again, some graffiti covered but not all. So now a third service number will be filed..... Lets see - one graffiti item, three service calls, one and a half responses but credit for three - It seems to me to have more to do with inflating numbers than doing anything. It's all documented. I have watched the graffiti truck and trailer slowly cruise through the area - when graffiti is on public space like a lamp post, why can't they just paint it? Litter - on 11th st, the Green Team guys do way more than DPW street sweepers. Any ideas on why DPW can't keep 11th between Florida and Monroe clean and it takes a third party service? Public litter cans overflowing because people put household garbage in them (next to them) - is that a DPW concern? Are these the efficiencies Fenty refers to? My area was cleaner in the early 1990s when there was a DPW person who did the street cleaning (before the mechanical sweepers). --- On Fri, 6/25/10, Twine, Kevin (DPW) wrote: From: Twine, Kevin (DPW) Subject: [columbia_heights] Live, One-Hour Chat with DC Department of Public Works: Graffiti and Litter To: Date: Friday, June 25, 2010, 5:05 PM Does nothing irk you more than seeing someone throw trash on the ground, sometimes just a few steps away from a litter can? Is your block a dumping ground for wrappers and cups due to your proximity to fast food restaurants? Are you concerned about a rise in graffiti in your neighborhood? Help discuss ways to combat litter and graffiti in your neighborhood by joining DPW’s hour-long online chat Wednesday, June 30, 2010, at 12:00 pm. DPW staff who collect litter and remove graffiti will discuss daily efforts to keep the city clean and also address concerns about litter and graffiti “hot spot” areas. We also need your feedback on future online discussion topics! Residents can join or follow the discussion at dpw.dc.gov/livechat once the chat session begins. Residents also may submit questions in advance on DPW’s Twitter account (http://twitter. com/DCDPW), Facebook page, or by email to nancee.lyons@ dc.gov. WHAT: Live, One-Hour Chat with DC Department of Public Works WHEN: Wednesday, June 30, 2010, 12:00-1:00 pm WHERE: dpw.dc.gov/livechat Kevin B. Twine Staff Assistant Department of Public Works Office of the Director 2000 14th Street, NW Washington, DC 20009 Ph: 202-671-2593 Fx: 202-671-0642 kevin.twine@ dc.gov