The Orlando City Council has approved a Take Action Against Graffiti -- or TAAG -- program to address increasing reports of graffiti, especially downtown.
The new TAAG program is in addition to Keep Orlando Beautiful, which provides a kit to help property owners address graffiti.
"The program we have now goes beyond that," said David Barilla, acting executive director of Orlando's Downtown Community Redevelopment Agency. "So it encourages business owners to not only address the immediate situation, which would be removing the graffiti or covering up the graffiti, but also taking steps to deter it from happening in the future."
TAAG will provide commercial properties and multi-unit housing with up to $4,000 at an 80% match.
To qualify, the tagging must be visible from the right-of-way and the business must apply take mitigation measures
TAAG employs Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design to discourage tagging. The mitigation options include: A graffiti-resistant coating; shrubs and thorny plants along the buildings, wall and fences; better lighting; and murals that have permitted and approved.
Barilla said reports of graffiti in downtown Orlando are up. There were 62 taggings reported in 2022 and 104 already this year.
I'm delighted to see Take Action Against Graffiti," City Commissioner Peggy Sheehan said. "As someone who represents the Mills 50 area, we have really been hit hard. They're even starting to tag our murals and our art."
Funding includes $48,000 from the city and $100,000 from the CRA.
