1. A person is guilty of unlawfully posting advertisements when, having no right to do so nor any reasonable ground to believe that he has such right, he posts, paints or otherwise affixes to the property of another person any advertisement, poster, notice or other matter designed to benefit a person other than the owner of the property. 

2. Where such matter consists of a commercial advertisement, it shall be presumed that the vendor of the specified product, service or entertainment is a person who placed such advertisement or caused it to be placed upon the property.

September 17, 2003 - City Council Members Gale A. Brewer (D-Manhattan) and Tony Avella (D-Queens) announced legislation that would outlaw the defacement of private property with stickers and decals. Residents throughout the city complain of unwanted stickers and decals placed on their doors and windows that are commonly used for advertising and other purposes. In 1995, the City Council passed a local law to ban these stickers on public property, and the law was recently strengthened, by Local Law 2 of 2003, which the Council enacted and the Mayor signed into law earlier this year. However, current law offers no protection against stickers and decals placed on private property.

"Anyone who defaces private property should be held accountable," said Council Member Brewer. "Currently there are no protections in place to curb the use of this defacing form of advertising on private property, leaving residents and businesses to fend for themselves in the weekly toil of scraping off unwanted stickers. This law seeks to address the pervasive practice of sticker advertising, and gives city residents the means to engage the responsible party, and protect themselves from the ongoing harassment."

Avella added, "This is a serious quality-of-life issue for both businesses and residents which needs to be addressed. It is unfair that owners of private property have to bear this burden."

The bill will be introduced at today's Slated Meeting and referred to the Committee on Sanitation and Solid Waste for Consideration.