The city decided to take an aggressive policy against graffiti after a city staff report in 2005 concluded that, if left unchecked, the proliferation of graffiti may signify greater problems within a community, such as lawlessness and a reduction of property values, which could discourage businesses and invite more serious crime to Nanaimo. The report stated there are three components to helping solve Nanaimo's graffiti problem -- enforcement, eradication and education -- and they have formed the backbone of the city's graffiti policy ever since.