Property Owner Responsibility

Montgomery County Code Chapter 26, Housing Standards addresses visual blight and property owner responsibility. Residential property owners are required to keep the “…exterior surfaces of each structure and the interior surfaces of all common areas in each multi-family dwelling…free of graffiti...” Owners of nonresidential property are also required to clean up graffiti on exterior surfaces.

The County is required to notify property owners who violate the law. The notification also includes a hand delivered written order that specifies remedial action to be taken by the property owner and the time frame for completing this. Owners who fail to comply with the order are subject to a $500 fine.

For more information about the law, contact the Division of Housing & Code Enforcement at 240/777-3785.

If you require assistance in removing graffiti from your property, call the GRAB hotline at 301/607-4722. Please leave your name, phone number, location, and a brief description of the graffiti including the type of surface defaced (unpainted brick, painted brick, cinderblock, unpainted cinderblock, etc.).

To report graffiti in the county, please complete the attached form and e-mail it to us. Or, if you prefer, call the GRAB hotline at 301/607-4722. In your message, be sure to include the location, description of the graffiti and your telephone number in the event additional information is needed. You can also contact Code Enforcement at 240/777-3785 to report graffiti on private property.