Baltimore property owners angered by “costly” graffiti cleanup from buildings

Property owners in Baltimore’s Charles Village are fed up with the continuous cleanup of graffiti and vandalism on their buildings.

“It’s art on their end,” said Donte Davis, the owner of the “Taste This” restaurant. “But it’s a business on our end, and it’s costing us daily.” 

Davis told WJZ the graffiti spray-painted on their property on 25th Street can cost them thousands of dollars. 

“It has been going on for years, so it tends to bleed into the community as well, and the business district we have here on 25th Street,” Davis said.

A group of Baltimore City property owners is speaking out after many in the district have been left cleaning the paint they don’t want.

“The graffiti on our own buildings, we don’t want that,” said property owner Michele Bowman. 

“Anywhere from maybe $7,000 to $10,000, to paint the side of the whole side of the building,” Davis said. “It depends on how big your building is. Now, we have pretty big buildings down here on this side, but even to touch up the pain along the side, you’re still looking at over $1,000.”

Security camera captures spray-painting

Security cameras outside of “Taste This” restaurant caught some of the graffiti work in action. The video shows two people wearing hoods spray paint the front of the business, take a picture of their work, then walk off toward St. Paul Street. 

The  Charles Village property owners told WJZ they are not looking to press charges, They just want it to stop and work with the city on a better way to fix this issue for everyone. 

“Owning a business, there’s no free ride,” Bowman said. “We just want things, we want some adjustments to be made,” Bowman said. 

“We have to be responsible for that,” Davis said. “And it just becomes pricey. If you have to keep doing it, because as fast as we can paint over it and get it repainted, you know, here comes again, and we have to remove it.”

Property owners are liable for graffiti violations

According to the Baltimore City Department of Public Works (DPW) website, DPW only removes graffiti from city-owned properties and citywide private residential properties. 

“We invest in the properties that we own, which isn’t a problem, because we want to provide what we expect, and so that means we put our own money out to upkeep our buildings inside and out,” Bowman said. 

Bowman and Davis explained that private property owners instead receive a violation notice, then have up to 30 days to remove the graffiti. If not, they can face a fine of $500 a day after 30 days. 

“We are penalized for something that we have no control over,” Bowman said. “It’s just not fair, and it shows no support or partnership from the city with any business owner. So, I think we do our part.”

Graffiti is malicious destruction of property and is considered a misdemeanor, according to state law.   

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