North Hempstead, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 28 (eCode360 ed. 2026) § 28-23.1
Graffiti; defacement of property
Operative Text
A. It shall be unlawful to spray or create graffiti in any manner on any building or structure. B. It shall be the responsibility of any person owning or occupying any building or structure which has been defaced with graffiti to cause such graffiti to be removed or covered over. When a covering is used, the cover must be the same or similar color as the surface upon which the graffiti was made. Responsibility for removal or covering of graffiti shall lie with the owner or occupant, notwithstanding that said person may not have created the graffiti. C. Any person who creates graffiti in any manner shall be liable for the cost of removing or covering the same. D. Notwithstanding § 28-35 of this chapter, the required time for remedying a violation of this § 28-23.1 shall not be less than 10 days nor more than 45 days from the date of service of a notice of violation.
North Hempstead Code § 28-23.1 prohibits anyone from applying graffiti to any building or structure within the jurisdiction. Separately, it places the duty to remove or cover graffiti on whoever owns or occupies the affected property—regardless of who created it—and requires that any cover-up paint match or closely resemble the original surface color. The person who actually created the graffiti bears financial responsibility for the cost of removal or covering. When a notice of violation is issued under this section, the responsible party is given a remediation window of no fewer than 10 days and no more than 45 days.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating in North Hempstead should be aware that § 28-23.1 places the cleanup obligation squarely on the owner or occupant, even if a third party created the graffiti. Compliant operators typically inspect their buildings regularly, act promptly upon discovering graffiti, and ensure that any paint used to cover defacement closely matches the original surface color. Keeping records of remediation efforts and the timeline from notice of violation can be useful, since the code allows between 10 and 45 days from service of a notice to complete the remedy.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under § 28-23.1, tenants who occupy a building or structure share the legal responsibility for ensuring graffiti is removed or properly covered, even if they did not create it. If a tenant receives a notice of violation, the code provides a remediation period of at least 10 days and up to 45 days to address the issue. Tenants who believe a landlord should bear the cleanup burden, or who have questions about how responsibility is allocated in their lease, may wish to consult a tenant-rights organization or review their lease terms for relevant provisions.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 9, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
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