Battle over ‘bandit’ signs continues along FM 1960
Residents and business leaders in northwest Houston are continuing to wage an unending war on the proliferation of “bandit” signs along areas of FM 1960.
The Houston Northwest Chamber of Commerce is taking a proactive approach to dealing with violators of the bandit sign laws by contacting businesses that provide a phone number on their signs.
“We call on those companies and let them know that this is against state law, and they could be fined if they don’t remove them,” said Barbara Thomason, president of the chamber. “About 30 percent of the time they don’t know. Sometimes, they are mean, ugly and will curse you out. … Those are the people who are repeat offenders.”
In 2007, the state took the issue up in the Legislature enacting House Bill 413 into law, which amended Chapter 393 of the Texas Transportation Code and outlawed the use of bandit signs
in rights of way on interstates, county roads and rural roads.
A violation could result in a fine of $500 to $1,000 for each offense.
Between 2008 and 2011, volunteers, known as bandit sign rangers, retrieved hundreds, if not thousands, of bandit signs along rights of way on FM 1960.
Joe Barron, who is among a handful of bandit sign rangers, said although the state statue is effective, it only provides for civil penalties against violators.
“It does have some teeth in it,” Barron said. “But the laws are only as good as the enforcement behind it.”
The signs have been a problem in Harris County for many years.
Bandit signs are often seen posted along roadways, nailed to a utility pole or in a median, and usually advertise services such as personal training, carpet cleaning, tax preparation or other forms of enterprise.
They also advertise yard sales as well as real estate open houses or political events.
A bandit sign can be small, or a large banner between poles, or a large sign placed in the ground.
Thomason said when chamber officials are notified of bandit signs in the area, they will typically go out and take photos of the signs to contact the businesses, or provided as evidence to the Harris County Attorney’s Office.
Typically, if a sign is on public (or Harris County) property and is less than $25 (in value), it can be picked up and discarded, but if the sign value is greater than $25 it may be discarded, but proper notice, usually within 10 days, must be given by the local authorities, such as the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable’s Office.
If those signs are not claimed within 10 days, they can be auctioned by the county.
While there is the punitive element to eradicating bandit signs, there are other measures the chamber is using to help keep the areas clear of bandit signs.
Anne Culver, president/ CEO of Scenic Houston, said while the cities can enact and enforce ordinances, counties are limited to state laws, which can be difficult to enforce.
“Bandit signs are a particularly touchy issue,” she said. “It is especially painful for urban area counties.”
Scenic Houston, which was launched in the 1960s, helped streamline the city of Houston’s sign ordinance that went into effect in 1980.
Since then, the organization has expanded to other communities in the region and state to provide diagnostic tools to help remedy bandit signs, graffiti and other forms of urban blight.
“This doesn’t find what cities do wrong, it finds what cities do well,” Culver said.
In the interim, the Harris County Attorney’s Office is working to prosecute bandit sign offenders.
Bethany Dwyer, assistant county attorney for the Harris County Attorney’s Office, was recently appointed to manage the mounting bandit sign violations and said lately she has been able to persuade some of the violators to remove their signs or face the possibility of more fines, but that it is a process.
“The problem is that when I get one sign down, three more pop up,” she said.
Some of those violators keep coming back, and others are considered repeat offenders, but others have only recently appeared in the aftermath of the April 18 flood.
In the wake of the flood, signs for roof repair services, debris removal and other cleaning services appeared in the areas that were already littered with bandit signs advertising other services, such as home remodeling, massage and nail services, maid services or home sales.
While many of the advertised businesses are considered legitimate, some could simply be looking to gain access to residents’ possessions.
“Some of these are using this to get inside your home,” Dwyer said. “Some of these are dangerous people and you don’t want them in your homes or knowing where you live. These are not people you want walking around in your neighborhood.”
To learn more about the bandit sign program, or to become a bandit sign ranger, contact Dwyer at 713-274-5388 or bethany. dwyer@cao.hctx.net.
To learn more about Scenic Houston, log onto http://www.scenichouston.org/