Graffiti in Bed-Stuy: Street Art or Urban Blight?

There are few things as ubiquitous in New York City as is graffiti.

In fact, ask anyone anywhere in the world: The mere mention of New York City conjures images of tall buildings, Wall Street, the Statue of Liberty, large crowds of people and... graffiti.

But as much a part of the landscape as is graffiti in New York, opinions still vary amongst residents around its presence: Some hate graffiti and see it as defaming public property and contributing to urban blight, while others consider it street art that -- if done in moderation -- adds to the city’s overall character.

Nevertheless, graffiti in NYC is illegal and those caught doing it are considered vandals. In fact, the New York Police Department has created anti-graffiti task force, including a centralized intelligence graffiti database to identify known graffiti vandals with their tags.

If you have received a notice from the City regarding graffiti on your property, you have three options:

1. If you would like the City to clean the graffiti on your property, you do not have to do anything. Your property will be added to the cleaning queue after 35 days.

2. If you wish to remove the graffiti yourself, you must call 311 within 35 days of receiving the notice to inform the City of your decision.

3. If you want to keep the graffiti on your property and do not want it cleaned, you must also call 311 within 35 days. In certain circumstances, you may be eligible to receive a 15-day extension beyond the proscribed 35 days.

Graffiti-removal by the City is completely free. Rewards of up to $500 will be given out to anyone providing information leading to the arrest and conviction of graffiti vandals. Calls can be made to 911 for acts of graffiti vandalism that are in progress, or 311 in all other instances.

Patch is asking its readers, how do you feel about graffiti?