Do you live in one of Yakima's graffiti hot spots?
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YAKIMA, Wash. -- It's easy to see graffiti spattered across town. But it turns out, there are some graffiti hot spots here in Yakima. Authorities identified four main areas that are getting tagged repeatedly.
For Nick, it's a common sight. Graffiti just about everywhere you look.
"Waste of money and energy," said neighbor, Nick G.
He paints over the tagging at least twice a week. But, it always comes back. Nick's shed is literally covered in just about every color.
"I just got tired of cleaning it up," said Nick.
Nick lives in a graffiti hot spot. His house on North Fourth Avenue is part of the red zone. The area North of Yakima Avenue between 1st and 16th Avenues.
The other neighborhoods hardest hit are South of Yakima Avenue between 1st street and I-82.
"It's very very frustrating," said neighbor Carlos Reyes.
He too has graffiti surrounding his home.
"It's senseless graffiti that's happening rampantly all over the neighborhood," said Reyes.
Why? Carlos says his neighborhood is shared by gang-bangers and young kids with nothing to do.
"Really demoralizes the neighborhood in terms of a sense of community and togetherness," said Reyes.
It's one of the reasons for new groups like Block by Block. A way to target the graffiti hot spots and improve Yakima's image and reputation.
"It puts people down. It just hurts them," said Nick.
There have been more than 800 graffiti complaints in Yakima since January 2011.
For Nick, it's a common sight. Graffiti just about everywhere you look.
"Waste of money and energy," said neighbor, Nick G.
He paints over the tagging at least twice a week. But, it always comes back. Nick's shed is literally covered in just about every color.
"I just got tired of cleaning it up," said Nick.
Nick lives in a graffiti hot spot. His house on North Fourth Avenue is part of the red zone. The area North of Yakima Avenue between 1st and 16th Avenues.
The other neighborhoods hardest hit are South of Yakima Avenue between 1st street and I-82.
"It's very very frustrating," said neighbor Carlos Reyes.
He too has graffiti surrounding his home.
"It's senseless graffiti that's happening rampantly all over the neighborhood," said Reyes.
Why? Carlos says his neighborhood is shared by gang-bangers and young kids with nothing to do.
"Really demoralizes the neighborhood in terms of a sense of community and togetherness," said Reyes.
It's one of the reasons for new groups like Block by Block. A way to target the graffiti hot spots and improve Yakima's image and reputation.
"It puts people down. It just hurts them," said Nick.
There have been more than 800 graffiti complaints in Yakima since January 2011.
