Harrisburg Volunteers Clean Graffiti: 'We Live Here, So We Do It'

Community-Led Efforts to Beautify Harrisburg

In a city where the challenges of urban decay and neglect are ever-present, a group of dedicated residents has taken it upon themselves to make a difference. Their mission is simple yet powerful: “Healing the city through beautification.” This initiative, driven by local volunteers, has become a beacon of hope for many in Harrisburg.

Mark Santanna, a member of the Capital Area Neighbors group, has been at the forefront of this movement. He and his fellow volunteers have focused on removing graffiti from prominent properties across the city. One of their most recent projects involved the former Harrisburg Tourist Information Center at Second and Paxton streets. After a local media outlet highlighted the deteriorated condition of the building, Santanna took it upon himself to clean up the graffiti. However, he did so without the owner’s permission due to confusion over who actually owns the property—PennDOT, the city of Harrisburg, or the state.

Instead of waiting for bureaucratic processes to resolve the issue, Santanna took action. He used a bucket of primer to cover the graffiti, demonstrating a commitment to improving the city's appearance despite the obstacles. "We can't expect the city to do everything for us, especially beautification," he said.

Santanna and other volunteers have also worked with the Friends of Midtown group to remove graffiti from a building on 18th and Regina streets. This project was prompted by a tip from Harrisburg City councilman Lamont Jones. The volunteers contacted the property owner and successfully covered extensive graffiti that had marred the doors, walls, steps, and sidewalks.

The Origins of the Graffiti Removal Program

The informal graffiti removal program began in 2017 when Susan Auchincloss, a member of Friends of Midtown, purchased a unique product known as "elephant snot." Despite its unusual name, this substance is not actual mucus from an elephant. It is a specialized graffiti removal agent. The process involves applying the product to the graffiti and then pressure washing it away.

While groups have been working to remove graffiti for years, the Friends of Midtown group has kept their efforts private, hoping to avoid any potential conflict with graffiti artists. "I don’t want to get in a war with these taggers, but we live here, and someone’s gotta do it," said Ed Jaroch, a board member of Friends of Midtown. "I get it, sometimes teenagers just tag whatever they’re tagging, but then it sits there for 10 years."

Jaroch leads the beautification committee for Friends of Midtown. He explained that their focus is primarily on brick buildings because the "elephant snot" does not work effectively on painted or wooden surfaces. There is no formal program for identifying graffiti removal sites. Sometimes, the group is contacted by property owners, but more often, they simply look for problems and address them.

A Collaborative Approach

The group relies on community input and observation. "We generally look for places on commercial streets when we’re driving around," Jaroch said. "If we notice it, we figure a lot of people are probably seeing it too."

Once a site is identified, the volunteers must coordinate a water source and obtain permission from the property owner. This process requires careful planning and communication. In addition to cleaning buildings, the group has tackled graffiti in public parks, including stone trash cans. They have also coordinated with city officials and Capital Region Water, the company that provides water and sewer services for the city and surrounding areas.

Collaboration with other organizations has been essential to the success of these efforts. Rich Brenner, who heads the beautification committee for the Historic Harrisburg Association, works closely with Jaroch and Santanna to ensure that graffiti removal projects are carried out effectively.

"There’s a lot going on behind the scenes to keep the city nice," Brenner said. Both Friends of Midtown and the Historic Harrisburg Association are nonprofit, volunteer-based organizations. Individuals interested in contributing to the city’s beautification can reach out to their local neighborhood groups.

The Impact of Small Actions

Despite the many challenges facing Harrisburg, these grassroots efforts continue to make a difference. "Many of these beautification efforts might seem insignificant by themselves against the many problems the city faces," Santanna said. "But small ripples become big waves. Sometimes you just have to get things started."