By City Manager Ken Striplin
There are many City services working behind the scenes each day to keep Santa Clarita safe, clean and beautiful. One you may not think about until you see their work firsthand is our Graffiti Removal Team.
Graffiti removal efforts in Santa Clarita began 35 years ago through a partnership between community members and City staff. At the time, the effort was primarily volunteer-based, with the City providing resources such as paint and a truck. As Santa Clarita grew, so did the need for a more comprehensive approach. In 2007, the City assumed responsibility for the program, investing approximately $500,000 in personnel, rewards, equipment and a graffiti-tracking database. Those efforts helped establish the Graffiti Removal Program we have today.
Located within the City’s Community Preservation Division, the program focuses on rapid removal, enforcement, prevention and community education. The goal is simple: address graffiti quickly while preserving the quality of life our residents expect.
Our Graffiti Removal Team removes 99% of graffiti within 24 hours of discovery or reporting. So far this year, the team has removed 9,487 tags. In July and August of 2026, the team removed all reported tags within 24 hours, achieving a 100% removal rate in those months. The summer months are typically the busiest time of year for graffiti reports, with May and July seeing the highest number of reports this year at 92 and 91, respectively. What residents may not realize is that most graffiti is identified proactively. Of this year’s removals, only 612 were reported through the City’s Resident Service Center and 103 through the Graffiti Hotline at 661-25-CLEAN. The remainder were largely identified by team members while patrolling the community.
Removal, however, is only part of their work. Education and prevention are equally important. This year, the team has participated in five graffiti prevention and awareness outreach opportunities at schools and through other youth programs. Most recently, volunteers worked with the team during Community Beautification Day, learning firsthand what goes into removing graffiti, while helping restore a tagged location.
Now, residents have another opportunity to see this work in action. On Saturday, November 7, the City will host its fifth annual Graffiti Removal Day. Volunteers will work alongside our Graffiti Removal Team, learn about graffiti vandalism and different removal techniques and participate in a large-scale beautification project.
The success of this program is a reminder that maintaining our community requires both dedicated City employees and residents who take pride in where they live. I encourage you to join us November 7 and discover the work of these hidden heroes for yourself.
To register, visit SantaClaritaVolunteers.com or contact Gabby Vera at gvera@santaclarita.gov. For more information about the City’s Graffiti Removal Program and Community Preservation efforts, contact Maria Huerta at (661) 255-4964 or visit SantaClarita.Gov/CommunityPreservation.
Ken Striplin is the City Manager for the City of Santa Clarita and can be reached at kstriplin@santaclarita.gov.
