Posts Tagged ‘Bandit signs’

A different species of urban sign spam invades Reservoir Hill

Posted by ameister on Monday, June 21st, 2010

A few months ago I wrote about the “We Buy Houses” signs that pollute Baltimore. “Investors” are not the only scam artists using this urban spam to promote their shady dealings. A few weeks ago on the Reservoir Hill Google group a neighbor posted about a “Bra sign” that was posted on the median in the middle of the last block of Eutaw Street. The neighbor was in her car and could not remove the sign. I decided to remove the sign from public property. Click on this small photo to see a larger photo of the sign:

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At least Bastien’s Foundations is not trying to hide their identity. They should be ashamed though. Why do they feel the need to plant a sign for their DC suburb based business in the middle of a residential neighborhood in Baltimore? I hope when people google Bastien’s Foundations that they find this story and realize they are dealing with an urban spammer and choose not to do business with them.

The last of my Harlem Park videos

Posted by ameister on Monday, January 11th, 2010

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Chris Delaporte is the “Park Advocate” of Baltimore. Check out his facebook page.

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When I say “this should not be here” I mean that you cannot just put up your sign on a house that is not yours. In that sense it is litter and spam.

On youtube if you view my video you will see that the related bandit sign videos are films that promote the use of bandit signs and explain how “effective” they are.  If you are a fan of email spam and litter, then I guess one could consider these signs effective in that sense. They are scams just like the viagra emails you receive in your spam inbox.

Bandit signs are the spam of Baltimore

Posted by ameister on Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009

Many Sundays ago I decided to walk to the corner of Liberty Heights and Auchentoroly Terrace just south of Druid Hill Park to take a photo of a van covered in Conaway family political propaganda that I had seen on my Saturday afternoon jog. The van had been removed, but on the median at the intersection of Auchentoroly and Gwynns Falls was a “We Buy Houses Sign” planted in the ground. I removed the sign and took it back home with me. Here is a photo of the sign:

Signs like this one infest Baltimore. This is not a new story. For years citizens have been trying to ban these signs and in 2006 (after some classic Mary Pat Clarke vote craving gimmicks) an ordinance making the signs illegal was passed. It was not until 2008 that the ordinance actually had some bite and substance to it. As of 2009 the sign owners have yet to be prosecuted because the Environmental Control Board is too busy fining home owner occupants for having weeds growing in their backyards. You can read an excellent City Paper article that explains all of the background behind the “bandit sign ordinance” here.

Since these signs are illegal, but authorities would rather not bother with them I decided to do a little research. I googled the phone number listed on the sign and it took me to this page on the The Clarion Group LLC’s web site.  I looked up who owned the The Clarion Group LLC’s site and found this information. It took me a minute to find the name, email, and physical work address of the offender. This is all public information. I think if the city (or anyone) published an online bandit sign poster list that included the name and address of the offender then some of these offenders might think twice about littering our streets with these signs. These people thrive on being anonymous and once their identities are revealed on a large stage then the game changes. It would also be nice if instead of going after responsible home owner occupants for petty environmental offenses that the Environmental Control Board focused on the people who are trying to trick home owner occupants into giving up their homes.