Heastie has secured funding from the New York State budget to construct a program aimed at home and business owners in his district.
CitySolve, a leader in graffiti removal solutions, is in the process of creating a customized program, targeting those areas that are hardest hit by unwanted graffiti.
Heastie unveiled the new program in a press conference on Tuesday, July 15. While Heastie believes that graffiti can be a wonderful form of artistic expression, he also feels that when it is inappropriately placed on private property, it becomes an eyesore to the community.
“I want graffiti removal services to be available to private homes and businesses in addition to public property,” said Heastie. “The northeast Bronx deserves to look clean and beautiful.”
CitySolve, which also works with other Bronx legislators such as Senator Jeff Klein and Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera, has targeted three priority zones, in addition to residential areas, which need the most support.
The zones are located on White Plains Road from E. Gun Hill Road to the Bronx county border, on E. Gun Hill Road from White Plains Road to the New England Thruway, and Boston Road from Conner Street to East Gun Hill Road.
The ultimate goal of Heastie’s program is to establish graffiti free zones within the community, with a focus on four different types of properties: roll down security gates, buildings & building sides with corner properties next to major shopping strips, doors and storefronts, and different types of “street furniture” like mail depositories and traffic control boxes.
However, Heastie’s program will not ignore other properties, often in residential neighborhoods, that for some reason or another seem to attract large amounts of graffiti. These sites can also be parks, near schools, train stations or highways.
The fact that Heastie’s district includes large numbers of homeowners bodes well because, according to CitySolve’s report on the 83rd district’s needs, graffiti vandalism is a huge quality of life issue, reducing property values by 15%, according to the National Realtors Association, meaning homeowners have more to lose if the graffiti goes unreported.
Heastie’s district has a high percentage of home ownership; therefore residents there take more ownership of the community in which they reside.
“I strongly encourage Bronx residents and business owners to take advantage of this wonderful service for the northeast Bronx,” Heastie stated.
For more information about the free graffiti clean-up program, please call Heastie’s district office at (718) 654-6539.
