A new Facebook group aims to raise awareness for illegal graffiti in Little Rock and hopes to find some solutions.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — A group in Little Rock has been rallying together to bring attention to illegal graffiti around the city.
They’re using social media and cameras on cellphones as a reporting tool and hope to find some solutions to the ongoing issue.
“There are a lot of very strong opinions about it,” said Little Rock resident Michael Bynum.
That’s why Bynum decided to create a Facebook group with the goal of raising awareness about the graffiti around the capital city.
“The city has a challenge, and it’s twofold. Number one is finding an effective way of getting rid of unsanctioned graffiti that doesn’t involve getting the police or code enforcement involved. The second part is finding a space for people who want to express themselves through graffiti art,” Bynum described.
To Bynum, graffiti is not always an eyesore, but at the same time, he said he doesn’t want it all over the city.
“I’m also a big fan of what’s going on, trying to really clean up downtown, and I want to support that,” he added.
Jenny Boulden also joined the group and said she hopes it will make a difference.
“It seemed like it was a good effort to rally volunteers to help gather resources and get rid of a lot of this graffiti, sort of taking into our own hands,” Boulden explained.
If you want to remove graffiti yourself, you should think twice.
However, if it is on your property, the city’s current ordinance says that you are responsible for removing it.
Meanwhile, the city and downtown Little Rock partnership have specific ways to get rid of it.
“They can then take a picture of it, send it to the ambassador hotline, and the Ambassadors will note it. If it’s in an area that they can’t remove it, then we will upload it to 311, which is the city portal,” said Gabe Holmstrom, Executive Director of Downtown Little Rock Partnership.
Little Rock Housing and Neighborhood Programs Director Kevin Howard said the city has been working to roll out a graffiti removal program to help with the ongoing issue.
“One of the things we will allow [is] we’ll have three free cleanups on the properties. But we would have to get permission from that property owner to go out and remove that graffiti,” said Howard.
He explained how the mayor has also been working to give some of those artists a designated space for their art instead of putting it all over the city.
“We just have to come together as a community and figure out what our plan is to make that the best for everybody,” Bynum said.
Once again, you’re encouraged to report any illegal vandalism through Little Rock’s 311 line or through the city’s app, or you can also reach out to the Downtown Little Rock Partnership by calling (501) 208-9738.
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