OPED: Roybal’s graffiti battle gains ex-councilwoman’s support

SUBMITTED BY: Edie Bryan, Former Lakewood City Council member

Ever since I was on City Council years ago, I have regularly attended ward meetings. In 2007 there was a large increase of graffiti in the area near South Sheridan Boulevard. A number of property owners and citizens complained about this problem at the ward meetings.

The graffiti kept increasing and people were becoming increasingly frustrated because the victim of the property damage was held responsible for cleaning it up.  A number of people suggested contacting the Denver graffiti enforcement. But no one did.

Finally Pete Roybal asked Paul Lopez, city councilor from Denver,  if anyone from Lakewood had contacted him. No one had contacted his office.

Then Pete Roybal started bringing people together:  business owners, other property owners, Alameda Gateway Association, citizens, and the police from both the city of Denver and the City of Lakewood. This informal coalition was called “Denwood.”

The result was a marked decline in the amount of graffiti along Sheridan Boulevard reported at 30 percent or 50 percent. There is still some graffiti.  But the response is now much more coordinated and much more rapid.

This is how Pete Roybal works to form coalitions to combat a problem.  He didn’t do it all by himself, but he brought people together to work together.  I’d like to see him elected to City Council to work on other issues in the city.