Residents in San Diego’s College Area woke up Sunday to find bright orange spray paint splashed across streets, fences, and parked cars, with one homeowner discovering a racial slur scrawled on her fence. The vandalism was concentrated in a tight alley between La Dorna Street and Catoctin Drive, near San Diego State University, and neighbors say the sudden graffiti barrage has them on edge. By midmorning, people were out with scrub brushes and paint, swapping security tips while they tried to erase the overnight damage.
Neighbors Describe Overnight Damage
At least 10 nearby properties were hit, according to residents who spoke with NBC 7 San Diego. The tags ranged from a casual “honk” sprayed on a pickup truck to more threatening language on backyard fences. Neighbors said they quickly started posting photos on local message boards and filing reports through the city’s Get It Done app. San Diego police told the station they had not yet received a formal complaint about the incident.
City App And Cleanup
Residents said they turned to the city’s Get It Done portal to report the tagging, while some started scrubbing and painting over what they could reach. The City of San Diego’s Get It Done page lists graffiti as one of its reportable issues and guides residents through the process of uploading photos and pinning exact locations using the website or mobile app. For urgent street-related problems, the city directs callers to 619-527-7500, while the listed number for police non-emergencies is 619-531-2000; emergencies are still supposed to go directly to 9-1-1.
Graffiti Complaints Are Common
According to Governing, San Diego’s Get It Done app has seen heavy growth over the years and now handles dozens of complaint categories, including graffiti. Reporting by the San Diego Reader has logged thousands of graffiti complaints routed through the app, and has noted that community volunteers often paint over or scrub away tags themselves when city crews take longer to arrive. That backdrop helps explain why the fresh tags near La Dorna Street quickly lit up neighborhood message boards and prompted another round of do-it-yourself cleanup.
Neighbors Are Increasing Surveillance
Residents say this latest tagging spree fits into a string of nuisance crimes that have already prompted some to tighten their home security. One neighbor told NBC 7 San Diego she has now installed three cameras around her house, while another described a recent car break-in where parts were left behind. People on the block say they are trading photos and descriptions through neighborhood apps, hoping someone’s camera picked up a clue about who was in the alley overnight.
How To Report Damage Or Get Help
The city encourages residents to report non-emergency graffiti through the Get It Done portal or app, allowing crews to document the damage and schedule its removal. The Get It Done site lists 619-527-7500 for urgent street issues and 619-531-2000 for police non-emergencies. For crimes in progress or immediate threats, officials instruct residents to call 9-1-1. Neighbors say snapping photos before cleaning can help with any insurance paperwork and potential police reports, and sharing those images can speed up both identification and cleanup efforts.
