CBRE | The Boulos Company made a $45,000 donation to Graffiti Busters, a Portland-based program that mitigates graffiti. The hope is that a graffiti-free Portland will be more appealing to potential tenants, property owners, residents and tourists. The donation was made in honor of the companies 40th anniversary. "Our business is commercial real estate and buildings are our life-blood. When developers and business owners come to Portland to grow their business, hire people and invest in property improvements, the economic benefits ripple throughout our city. Graffiti leaves a terrible impression on residents and visitors and devalues the city," said Drew Sigfridson, managing director of CBRE | Boulos. National real estate experts have found that graffiti, when left to fester and multiply, can make neighborhoods look run-down and eventually lead to a reduction in property values for an entire area. "That is why," Sigfridson said, "it is important that property owners, especially owners of commercial property, remove graffiti as soon as it appears." Rapid removal of graffiti is an effective prevention tool. "Data shows that removal within 24 to 48 hours results in a nearly zero rate of recurrence," said Sigfridson. The donation will allow Graffiti Busters to double its graffiti removal efforts across the city - including the purchase an additional truck and the expansion of staffing, both of which in turn allow the program to respond to more removal requests, more quickly. The program is administered by LearningWorks with support from the City of Portland. Officials from both entities were on hand, praising CBRE | Boulos for its efforts. "This new partnership comes at a perfect time, because reports of graffiti in this city are on the rise. In 2014, Graffiti Busters received 137 removal requests for the entire April-to-November season," said Ethan Strimling, executive director of LearningWorks. "This year, at just halfway through the season, there are 169 requests." At a press conference, Sigfridson encouraged folks to report graffiti as soon as possible, and even paused to ask attendees to take out their phones and add the Graffiti Busters hotline to their speed dial: 207-775-0105.