Graffiti Teams Clean Up the City within Twenty-Four Hours of Receiving a Report

A dedicated team beautifies Albuquerque on a daily basis, one building, wall, or underpass at a time. The Solid Waste Management Department’s (SWMD) graffiti teams respond to reports of graffiti within twenty-four hours to make sure the city looks the best it can be.

“Our graffiti teams take pride in their work. Responding to reports of graffiti within twenty-four hours is their priority,” said Matthew Whelan, Director of the Solid Waste Management Department. “Graffiti can hurt property values, and can scare away shoppers. Speedy clean up makes repeat offenses less likely. And cleaning up quickly shows we care about our community.”

The teams use painting and pressure washing as the primary tools to remove graffiti. SWMD mixes paint to match the colors of the structures they work to clean up. In addition to responding to reports, the teams survey the city daily and work with property owners to help clean up the area.

Anyone can report graffiti and the process is easy. The new One ABQ app, available through Android and IOS devices, is a quick way to make a report. Simply download the app, click the graffiti icon, and submit a basic form. You can even upload a picture of the graffiti. Reports can also be made online, through your Amazon Alexa device, and by calling 311.

Graffiti cleanup is part of the Solid Waste Management Department’s broader goal and initiative to keep Albuquerque clean and beautiful.

To report graffiti, download the ABQ311 app at your favorite app store today.