By Marcia Dennis, city graffiti abatement coordinator
If your property is vandalized by graffiti, there are some things you should know.

• A property owner must remove graffiti within 10 days, or risk being identified as a graffiti nuisance property. The city contracts with Youth Employment Institute (YEI), which will remove graffiti at no cost to the property owner if the owner signs a permission form and returns it to YEI.
• It is important to file a police report for the vandalism by calling the police non-emergency number, 503/823-3333, especially if the graffiti is biased in nature (such as racial or religious epithets and swastikas). The police and district attorney use these reports to create cases against taggers.
• Take pictures of the graffiti. Digital photos may be attached to the online reports. Hard copy photos may be mailed to the Graffiti Abatement Office, 1900 SW 4th, Room 40, Portland, OR 97201.

Check out the graffiti abatement website at www.port landonline.com/oni/index.cfm?c=28984&, where you can report any graffiti you see on public or private property.

If you are interested in volunteering to remove graffiti in the Mt. Tabor neighborhood, call Marcia Dennis at 503/823-5860.