Los Angeles mandates anti-graffiti coatings
The Los Angeles City Council has passed an ordinance requiring that all new homes and residential garages include a graffiti-resistant finish. The new municipal code, passed Sept. 29, expands a previously approved requirement that commercial buildings and apartments receive special coatings or surface finishes, such as ceramic tiles or baked enamel, that are impervious to spray paint.
Individual property owners can opt out of the new residential mandate by agreeing, in writing, to remove graffiti on their property within seven days.
City officials claim that Los Angeles spent $7.1 million to remove graffiti from 641,000 locations last year. No financial analysis or impact statement was prepared by city staff in connection to the new ordinance, however. Architects and builders who work on commercial and multi-family projects have complained about the current rule and its constraints upon which building materials they can use, as well as the additional cost.