The City of Federal Way's Graffiti Removal Incentive Program (GRIP) addresses the issue of graffiti removal through community involvement, offering graffiti cleanup/removal kits and graffiti prevention tips.

The GRIP program began last year in an effort to confront the dramatic increase in graffiti throughout the city. Once confined primarily to business districts, graffiti is now found nearly everywhere in the city, including residential areas. Experts agree that the presence of graffiti on fences, walls, or other buildings and structures attracts more graffiti and invites additional vandalism and crime. Graffiti removal within 24 hours is the best deterrent to future incidents.

With such a short time to be effective, a quick removal response by property owners is the key to successfully combating graffiti.

The goal of the GRIP program is to formulate a community response to the graffiti problem and partner with citizens and property owners to facilitate removal.

The City has arranged with New Lumber and Hardware for the purchase of graffiti removal kits that are given to property owners free of charge. If you receive a graffiti removal notice letter from the City, it will be pre-endorsed by City staff for use as a redemption voucher for the free kit (up to a maximum of $25.00 worth of removal or replacement materials). To report graffiti in Federal Way, call the Graffiti Hotline at 253-835-2617 and leave a message, or fill out a Citizen Action Request form online at www.cityoffederalway.com, drop it off at City Hall, or fax it to 253-835-2609.

Be sure to include the specific location of the graffiti, as well as your contact information (in case there are questions or the need for clarification). If you see an act of graffiti being perpetrated, call 911 to report the incident.