QUEENS, N.Y. - Residents and officials pulled out the paint brushes and hoses Wednesday in an effort to eliminate unsightly graffiti they say is appearing more and more in their neighborhoods.

It was a day-long clean up lead by City Councilman Francisco Moya, the NYPD, and the City Economic Development Corporation.

Workers power washed or painted over graffiti at more than 40 sites throughout Elmhurst, Corona, North Corona and Jackson Heights.

Moya says he's seen more graffiti tags on businesses, near schools, and even on his district office in the last six months.

"The people of this neighborhood deserve to have clean streets. We shouldn't need to have our kids walk from their house to school and see gang graffiti all over their neighborhood," Moya said.

This is the first time Moya, the Police Department and EDC have joined forces for a widespread graffiti clean-up.