Zero graffiti for a beautiful city: the cultural politics of urban space in San Francisco

Abstract

San Francisco, like many cities in the United States and across the world, has an official zero-tolerance policy on graffiti. In this article, we examine the academic literature concerned with graffiti and then present a case study of zero-tolerance abatement policies in San Francisco. Our analysis yields three main findings. First, zero-tolerance policy stimulates an anti-graffiti industry with vested interest in perpetuating an endless war for control of public space. Second, zero tolerance may generate an unintended result—the proliferation of tags and other forms of graffiti that people tend to dislike the most. Third, we find little evidence that the general public shares the same desire for zero tolerance as the San Francisco Government. Ultimately, we believe that more nuanced readings of graffiti allow greater numbers of people to make sensible, local, place-specific policies regarding graffiti.

Keywords:

• graffiti abatement
• broken windows theory
• public space
• cultural geography
• San Francisco

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Tiffany Conklin, Jesse Wagner, the journal editor, and three anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments on this article.

Funding

This research was supported by a Portland State University Faculty Enhancement Grant awarded for 2008–2009.

Notes

1. Interview with Department of Public Works Official, San Francisco, CA, 14 March 2008.

2. Numbers in parentheses refer to 2007 report counts.

3. Maps of 2009 and 2011 have not been included for space reasons.

4. Interview with Department of Public Works Official, San Francisco, CA, 14 March 2008.

5. Authors’ notes from observation of San Francisco Graffiti Advisory Board Meetings, San Francisco Department of Public Works, 13 September 2007 and 13 March 2008.

6. Authors’ notes from observation of San Francisco Graffiti Advisory Board Meetings, San Francisco Department of Public Works, 13 September 2007, 13 March 2008, and 13 November 2008.

7. Authors’ notes from observation of San Francisco Graffiti Advisory Board Meetings, San Francisco Department of Public Works, 13 September 2007, 13 March 2008, and 13 November 2008.