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Governor Newsom's $1B Beautification Plan Faces Backlash

1/26/2026

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Summary

Story summary

California Governor Gavin Newsom's $1 billion Clean California beautification program faces backlash after its anti-graffiti measures fail when 'graffiti-proof' ivy along the 101 freeway in Los Angeles is quickly tagged.
Critics on social media mock the landscaping as ineffective.
The ivy is part of Newsom's Clean California initiative, launched in 2021, which aims to reduce litter and beautify public spaces.

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Story summary

California Governor Gavin Newsom's $1 billion Clean California beautification program faces backlash after its anti-graffiti measures fail when 'graffiti-proof' ivy along the 101 freeway in Los Angeles is quickly tagged.
Critics on social media mock the landscaping as ineffective.
The ivy is part of Newsom's Clean California initiative, launched in 2021, which aims to reduce litter and beautify public spaces.