Red Car Property: Graffiti Vandals Claiming The Most Highly Used Portion Of The Property

Neighbors, if your property backs up into the Red Car Property you need to take a walk this weekend and see if your rear fence was hit by graffiti vandals.  We've talked to many of the neighbors who were hit.  They have either already painted it over or have promised to do so immediately.

If you know your neighbor's fence was tagged, please ask them to paint it over.  They may not know.  We all have to work together.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, October 3, 2013.  Vandals also hit lots of trees and stumps in the Red Car Canyon.  If you paint out graffiti on a living tree, please use water based paint sparingly.

Oddly, all the recent tagging occurred in the most highly used portion of the Red Car Property.  Usually when this section gets hit, it's part of a larger action including the Menlo Property, Riverside Drive, Allesandro Corralitas & Rosebud.  Not this time. 

Photo: Diane Edwardson, October 3, 2013.  Property owners (which would include the Lake View homeowner using this bin on the Red Car Property) are responsible for painting over graffiti within 24 hours of its  appearance. 

Graffiti is a way to create fear in the community.  We have to fight back by painting it out immediately.  LAPD WARNS, DO NOT CONFRONT TAGGERS.  You just don't know if they have a weapon.  Call the police immediately, give a detailed description of the suspects & location.

We are talking to LAPD Silver Lake Senior Lead Officer Lenny Davis about the problem as well as some other "broken window" issues too.   

We suspect this is not gang graffiti, but the work of a tagging crew.  However, we have documented this week's batch & are submitting to LAPD Officers Molly Beale & Evan Martinez, who track gang tags in the Northeast Division for their input.  

Recently, City Council District 13 Deputy Adam Bass toured the property & is working on a way to get the tree stumps & dead trees out of the canyon & Adelbert areas.  Since the Red Car Property is neglected private property & considering the City's current budget crisis, it's a complex issue.

If graffiti is on either City property (like the public staircases) or abuts a City street or sidewalk (like the freeway retaining walls on Riverside Drive) report it to 311.  Neighbors who use the City's My 311 app or the City's 311 website have gotten the quickest results for City services.  If it's a notoriously hard to find location - be sure to include a photo.  You can also dial 311, but their operators only work 9-5, M-F, & frankly, you'll be waiting on hold forever.