City of Yakima to Change Graffiti Ordinance

For years, the City of Yakima has had a graffiti ordinance that holds property owners responsible for the clean up and fines them if the graffiti is not removed. City Manager Tony O'Rourke says the city council changed the policy Tuesday and created a new system in which property owners can report the problem to the city for action. City crews will be sent out to clean up the property for free.

Before the council ordered the change in the ordinance, homeowners faced fines of up to four hundred dollars if graffiti is not removed within a two week window. O'Rourke says that policy was backwards penalizing homeowners instead of helping them after they have been targeted by graffiti vandals.