How to fix the overlook of Federal Blvd and its surroundings

1. How to fix the overlook of Federal Blvd and its surroundings Abraham Lincoln High School Civics 2008 Marisela Angel, Alex Douglas, Monica Galvan, Efren Nunez, April Vang

2. The Problem

3. The Problem • Over the years Federal Blvd has been one of the highest streets in Denver with number of deaths per year • Sidewalks have been neglected • Landscaping has been neglected • Around 20 percent of road fatalities are accounted for Federal Blvd. • Littering • Graffiti

5. Surveys to the public • Survey people in the community and school • Five question asked • Around 140 were surveyed • In a scale of 1-10 how would you rate the improvement on Federal Blvd • Is it dangerous to walk along Federal Blvd?

8. Transition • The road it self is not the problem: • The trash in our streets reflects our community • The graffiti around the neighborhood keeps increasing • Participation in our neighborhood is decreasing • People are unaware of what they can do

9. The Alternative Policies

10. The Alternative Policies • Denver Partnership Against Graffiti • Equipment to prevent Graffiti • Denver’s partnership to maintain Denver Clean • Economic Stimulus for Southwest Denver • Increasing number of business • Promoting economic growth

11. Denver Partners Against Graffiti • Graffiti Prevention “What is the City doing about this problem, and how can you help?” • 4-pronged strategy: • enforcement (legislation and policing of graffiti crimes) • abatement (removal or cleanup of graffiti) • education (increase public awareness and understanding of graffiti) • empowerment (support and promote community involvement)

12. The most effective tool against graffiti vandalism is you! Here’s how you can help. Contact Denver Partners Against Graffiti to: Report graffiti when you see it. Authorize the City to remove graffiti from your property. Volunteer to help remove graffiti around your community. To request free services, volunteer, or get more information, contact Denver Partners Against Graffiti, 720-865-STOP (7867), www.denvergov.org/graffiti

13. Pros Support the efforts of conscientious owners and tenants who maintain property Makes nearby properties less vulnerable to graffiti vandalism Keep are community clean by preventing graffiti The person who reports it will remain anonymous Cons No one in class or their families knew about it It needs authorization for the city to clean it from buildings If people are not apathetic then they will not participate PROS/CONS

14. Economic Stimulus The southwest area of Denver could use businesses around the area that can benefit our community in many ways. For example: -Lincoln students and Star Bucks -Travel for shorter distances -The construction of a gym for example Bally Total Fitness.

15. Business Estimates Star Bucks Category: Restaurant Start up cost:$50,000-$90,000 Maintenance: $45,000 or more

16. $Business Estimate$ Bally Total Fitness Category: Health & Beauty Start up:$165,000-$440,000

17. Pros Enjoy more establishments Stimulate the economy People would be more concerned about the community Add a nice scenery Cons Major investment Replace current businesses The communities response may not be very good Pros/Cons Of New Businesses

18. What importance does it have? • -provide funds for road • -We make a difference • -”Our Community, Our Representation”

19. Our Policy

20. Our Policy • An incentive policy that would • motivate people to participate in the community • keep the neighborhood clean • build a community of support • 3- parts • Advertise the Graffiti Hotline • Create “Wall” mural for taggers • Provide Community service for those volunteering

21. Promoting the Graffiti Hotline • Advertise the Graffiti Hotline in the neighborhood so more people could become involved • Provide some sort of monetary reward for those providing information that will lead to a successful arrest of a tagger • Allow citizens to take over the community

23. The Wall • Allow taggers to have an are where they can display their art and creativity • Have some sort of fee or requirement for taggers to participate in the wall • A place where real taggers can come and do some “pieces” instead of crew members just “hitting up” their set

24. What do Graffiti walls look like?

25. Providing community service • Providing community service hours for people willing to volunteer in Keep Denver Beautiful • Opportunities to keep Denver beautiful by creating your own cleanup or joining in any of the hundreds of cleanups that occur every year. • Minimum age is 6 with adult supervision, 16 without.

27. Surveys • We survey around 160 people in the community to discuss our policy • Questions regarding: • Mural • Volunteering to clean up • Fines for those who tag

30. The Action Plan

31. Action plan • Create Posters • Create Brochure of Policy • Email State Representatives, Senators, and City Council for our district • Hold meetings with people interested in our policy • Interview Taggers

32. Poster Call Now 720-865-STOP Help Us Stop Vandalism! Because Our Neighborhood Matters

33. Community Service Denver residents can always be counted on to pitch in. This is why we know people would volunteer to help maintain the community clean and safe. Volunteer to promote cleanup. Every planned cleanup needs to be promoted. Flyers require distributing and neighbors need to be informed. When a cleanup is scheduled in your neighborhood, the neighborhood can use everybody’s help Combine forces with Keep Denver Beautiful which provides safety information, trash bags and arranges for pickup of collected trash. Minimum age is 6 with adult supervision, 16 without. Volunteers should plan on 2 to 4 hours per event. BRING THE WHOLE FAMILY! Join a cleanup or plan your own! This is a great way for groups and individuals to make a difference on an occasional or one time basis.   In return, if you are a high school student or college student, you may receive community service hours for your support Our Neighborhood is in Our Hands The Wall Building a huge mural in Denver which would allow taggers to let their skills be displayed can benefit the community. In a legally way, taggers would be displaying their art. The mural would be a privilege , it would be a place where real taggers can come and do some “pieces” instead of crew members just “hitting up” their set. • Promoting the Graffiti Hotline • Our class policy pushes the community to unite forces with the Denver Partners Against Graffiti in promoting the Graffiti Hotline. • As propaganda we will promote the Denver’s Partners Against Graffiti tools; • The most effective tool against graffiti vandalism is you! • Here’s how you can help. Contact Denver Partners Against Graffiti to: • 1.      Report graffiti when you see it. • 2.      Authorize the City to remove graffiti from your property. • 3.      Volunteer to help remove graffiti around your community • Call the Graffiti Hotline Now! • The City provides free paint and free graffiti removal assistanceto Denver property owners and tenants. City employees are also available to attend your association and community meetings to answer your graffiti-related questions 720-863-STOP www.denvergov.com/graffiti Because our Neighborhood Matters! Brochure Our Neighborhood is in Our Hands The Wall Building a huge mural in Denver which would allow taggers to let their skills be displayed can benefit the community. In a legally way, taggers would be displaying their art. The mural would be a privilege , it would be a place where real taggers can come and do some “pieces” instead of crew members just “hitting up” their set. Community Service Denver residents can always be counted on to pitch in. This is why we know people would volunteer to help maintain the community clean and safe. Volunteer to promote cleanup. Every planned cleanup needs to be promoted. Flyers require distributing and neighbors need to be informed. When a cleanup is scheduled in your neighborhood, the neighborhood can use everybody’s help Combine forces with Keep Denver Beautiful which provides safety information, trash bags and arranges for pickup of collected trash. Minimum age is 6 with adult supervision, 16 without. Volunteers should plan on 2 to 4 hours per event. BRING THE WHOLE FAMILY! Join a cleanup or plan your own! This is a great way for groups and individuals to make a difference on an occasional or one time basis. In return, if you are a high school student or college student, you may receive community service hours for your support Our Neighborhood is in Our Hands The Wall Building a huge mural in Denver which would allow taggers to let their skills be displayed can benefit the community. In a legally way, taggers would be displaying their art. The mural would be a privilege , it would be a place where real taggers can come and do some “pieces” instead of crew members just “hitting up” their set. Community Service Denver residents can always be counted on to pitch in. This is why we know people would volunteer to help maintain the community clean and safe. Volunteer to promote cleanup. Every planned cleanup needs to be promoted. Flyers require distributing and neighbors need to be informed. When a cleanup is scheduled in your neighborhood, the neighborhood can use everybody’s help Combine forces with Keep Denver Beautiful which provides safety information, trash bags and arranges for pickup of collected trash. Minimum age is 6 with adult supervision, 16 without. Volunteers should plan on 2 to 4 hours per event. BRING THE WHOLE FAMILY! Join a cleanup or plan your own! This is a great way for groups and individuals to make a difference on an occasional or one time basis. In return, if you are a high school student or college student, you may receive community service hours for your support Promoting the Graffiti Hotline Our class policy pushes the community to unite forces with the Denver Partners Against Graffiti in promoting the Graffiti Hotline. As propaganda we will promote the Denver’s Partners Against Graffiti tools; The most effective tool against graffiti vandalism is you! Here’s how you can help. Contact Denver Partners Against Graffiti to: 1.Report graffiti when you see it. 2.Authorize the City to remove graffiti from your property. 3.Volunteer to help remove graffiti around your community Call the Graffiti Hotline Now! The City provides free paint and free graffiti removal assistanceto Denver property owners and tenants. City employees are also available to attend your association and community meetings to answer your graffiti-related questions Promoting the Graffiti Hotline Our class policy pushes the community to unite forces with the Denver Partners Against Graffiti in promoting the Graffiti Hotline. As propaganda we will promote the Denver’s Partners Against Graffiti tools; The most effective tool against graffiti vandalism is you! Here’s how you can help. Contact Denver Partners Against Graffiti to: 1.Report graffiti when you see it. 2.Authorize the City to remove graffiti from your property. 3.Volunteer to help remove graffiti around your community Call the Graffiti Hotline Now! The City provides free paint and free graffiti removal assistanceto Denver property owners and tenants. City employees are also available to attend your association and community meetings to answer your graffiti-related questions 720-863-STOP www.denvergov.com/graffiti 720-863-STOP www.denvergov.com/graffiti Because our Neighborhood Matters! Because our Neighborhood Matters!

34. Dear Council member: We are civics students from Abraham Lincoln High School. The reason we have contacted you is because we wanted to inform you about a policy, our class has created. We have been working on this project since the beginning of the year and are very proud of it. Our policy would help us change the overall outlook of Federal Blvd. Our school, sits right net to Federal Blvd., we see much graffiti and trash covering our sidewalks, streets and even around, our schools and homes. Our policy is composed by three parts, which will help decrease these problems within the community and on Federal Boulevard: Advertising the Graffiti hotline: In Denver an estimate $2.5 million each year is used to clean up graffiti and business pays about $200- $300 to replace windows and doors. The Denver’s Partners against Graffiti will send someone from the city to remove graffiti for free. We want to advertise the hotline since many people don’t know about it. We would work on creating posters and propaganda about this hotline. Making a “Wall”: The wall would be created as a “Free Zone” area where taggers could come create art without affecting the look of Federal in a non-professional way. This is a way to encourage graffiti art in a positive and productive way. Community Service opportunities: We want to bring people from the community to help out Federal Blvd. Community Service consists of helping business clean up graffiti and help cleaning up Federal Blvd. form trash. We would also have volunteers doing a maintenance walk; to look out for possible areas the street may need repair. Community service would also empower many members of the community by taking power over taggers. We are also hoping to create a sense of pride in our community and increase citizen participation. We would like to thank you for taking your time to read our policy. We really appreciate it. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns please contact us at: Email: Correascivic@yahoo.com Thank You, Abraham Lincoln High School Civics Class

35. Responses from email Dear Ms. Leslie, Thank you for contacting me, and I think that your class has some great ideas. Right now, we are in the last two weeks of the 2008 Session, and I cannot get away from the Capitol for any meetings.  However, we are due to finish up on May 2, and I know that public schools are not out until late May or early June.  Is there a time after later in May that I could come and discuss this (and other issues) with your class? Rep. Labuda Dear Civics Class, I’m pleased Abraham Lincoln students are interested in helping solve the graffiti problem.I do want you to know about my opposition to a “wall.”When the city had a graffiti summit, inviting leaders from other states who had success in fighting graffiti, we learned a “wall” can encourage graffiti throughout adjacent neighborhoods, completely contrary to your intentions.While I would be delighted to have you promote the graffiti hotline and encourage community service opportunities, I would ask your class to revisit the suggestion of a free zone “wall.” Thanks to all of you for your leadership on this important issue. I might add that we share an interest in Abraham Lincoln High School .Not only is the school in my council district, but my daughter graduated from it and I taught there in the 1980’s. Jeanne Faatz Councilwoman, District #2 Dear Abraham Lincoln High School Civics Class, Thank you for contacting our office with your policy. It sounds like you've put a lot of thought into the issue of graffiti and trash around your school. Have you had a chance to share your ideas with the senator and representative from your area? If not, here's their contact info.: Sen. Paula Sandoval, paula.sandoval.senate@state.co.us Rep. Jerry Frangas, kjerry.frangas.house@state.co.us Best of luck with this project! Sincerely, Travis GasperAssistant to the Speaker of the HouseState Capitol200 East Colfax Ave., Room 246Denver, Colorado 80203

36. Thank You