Residents in a neighbourhood west of downtown are taking to the phones to try to curb what they say is a growing graffiti problem.

Carlington Community Association president Josh McJannett said he and area residents have been working to report every piece of graffiti they see to the city's 311 line.

"The people who live in a neighbourhood have got a major responsibility to play a part in making their city a cleaner and safer place," said McJannett.

McJannett said graffiti was not being cleaned up fast enough and was soaking into the walls of both private and city property, as well as street signs. Carlington residents say they have been calling the city about graffiti in an effort to stop the issue before it becomes a bigger problem. (CBC)

Carlington resident Terry Prince said it's a problem that is getting worse, not better.

Prince, who used to clean up graffiti for a living, said he often sees graffiti at his local laundromat.

"It's horrible. It's public damage. It's extremely costly to the community and it affects the community in a horrible way because when you see the graffiti you ask yourself what's going on," said Prince.

Staff have begun clean-up: McRae

River Ward city councillor Maria McRae said she met with residents and drove around the area last week and called in dozens of graffiti sightings herself.

She said city staff identified 36 reports of graffiti — including some on public property — and began the process of cleaning them up.

"When we see there is a concentrated problem, we have to put those resources in right away," said McRae.

Across the city, the number of complaints about graffiti have actually dropped over the last three years, from 1,690 complaints in 2009 to 1,568 in 2010 and 1,402 last year.

The number of complaints about graffiti in River Ward in the last two years — which includes the Carlington neighbourhood — is relatively small compared to downtown wards. But graffiti complaints in the ward did rise from 50 in 2010 to 101 last year.

McJannett said he wants to stop the problem before it gets worse and brings down the reputation of the neighbourhood.

"It's a great neighbourhood. It's a neighbourhood that probably gets overlooked from time to time. But we're right in the heart of the city. People here care about where they live," he said.