Here is a recent CBC article on the public outrage that is starting to form over these letters.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2008/07/18/graffit-notices.html?ref=rss
The comment section of this news posting is an interesting read.
Property owners are definitely getting slammed for the damages that vandals and kids are doing.
Typically, the majority of graffiti vandalism is against businesses. This is because there is a loose rule in the graffiti sub-culture that you don't tag homeowners...but instead go for businesses and urban sprawl. Partially because they condone advertising on their properties (which is one excuse for graffiti responses) and partially because businesses typically won't get as angry and reactive as homeowners.
But more aggressive vandals will tag anything. Especially if it is on a highly trafficed street. And sometimes not even.
Interestingly, a lot of the comments from property owners who are upset are along the lines of this one:
"Hunt said it's pointless to repaint his garage because the graffiti will just keep coming back."
Defeatist attitudes like these are precisely what led to the rampant graffiti situation throughout Ottawa.
A property is tagged. The propert owner come to work on Monday and see it for the first time and instead of even attempting to repair the damage they throw their hands up in the air and decide "that's it...I've been graffitied....it's all over, I give up".
Now that they have given up, the next tagger comes along...sees the wall with the first tag on it. Leaves their tag too. And little by little the wall is filled with graffiti.
And who is to blame?
First off the vandals are to blame for tagging private property and causing damage.
Secondly, the property owners are to blame for rolling over and accepting this situation.
If a property owner cares about their property it's their responsibility to keep it maintained. If someone breaks a window....they repair it. If their roof collapses from too much snow...they repair it. If their paint starts to peel and chip...they repair it.
The one thing property owners neglect to realize is that the kids vandalizing their property have to pay money for the paint they use to do so (unless they steal their paint). So it's simple economics that if you are a tagger and you are tagging a wall that gets buffed or repainted promptly...you aren't using your paint effectively. So, after a few attempts to "stay up", a graffiti writer will give up...and move on to more "chill" spots where property owners don't care...and will allow the graffiti to have a "longer run". Also, once a graffiti writer notices that a wall is being cleaned regularily...they'll typically get spooked that someone might be watching the wall at night. Which should be the case once a pattern of vandalism is established.
Life is an endless process of repairs and maintainance. To our property, to our bodies, to our lives, to our relationships, to our possessions. Giving up as soon as we see the first cracks or feel the first pains just isn't an option.
If property owners are upset about being footed the bill for vandalism...it's their obligation to find solutions. Whether that be starting up a neighbourhood watch, sharing information with their community, calling the police each time they are vandalized (which few do), monitoring or surveilling their property, or calling their City Councillor to communicate their anger, frustration, and outrade.
If anything it should have been the obligation of the property owner to find solutions a long time ago...before things go so out of control that the City had to come to their door and scold them (like the Mother they appear to need) and tell them what they already knew they need to do.
In one way graffiti actually plays an important role in our communities. Graffiti is the litmus test that points out delinquent property owners.
It highlights which communities don't care. It highlights which property owners don't care. It points out where the crack dens are, where the rundown properties are, and where the weak links in our communities are.
And if you think there is nothing that can be done to monitor and improve this situation...you lack imagination, creativity, and will.
The following link is to a youtube user who is collecting and posting videos of graffiti writers tagging in Ottawa.
http://youtube.com/user/ottawagraffiti
Note: We are not involved with and do not condone the posting of this video on youtube. Instead we advocate the need for community vigilance and close interaction with the Ottawa Police.
