Thankfully I am not alone in my hatred of menus and flyers dumped on doorsteps and building lobbys everywhere. As of Saturday, August 2nd New York City is enforcing a state law that fines business anywhere from $250 to $1,000 (for repeat offenders) for the placement of “unsolicited papers, fliers, pamphlets, handbills, circulars or other materials advertising a business or soliciting business” at any residence where the owner has posted a sign saying that these materials are unwanted.

Finally, the breakthrough I’ve been waiting for! Now it’s time for that sign I promised…

According to the law the sign must be atleast 5″ tall, by 7″ wide, and contain the following copy in legible lettering 1″ high: “Do Not Place Unsolicited Advertising Materials on This Property.”

We at MSLK created our own sign in blue, pink, red, green, brown and black so you can color coordinate with your decor. You can download for freehere. I recommend displaying this in a lobby interior, out of the elements, but you could also have it laminated or printed on Kinko’s outdoor vinyl that won’t fade or run.

The new law has been nicknamed “lawn litter,” and was brought to fruition by our fellow Queens residents, State Senator Frank Padavan and Assemblyman Mark S. Weprin. Thank you, guys, and thank you to former MSLKer, Karen Stoehr for pointing this out to me.

The one thing I’m not 100% on is how you go about pressing charges. According to a recent article in the New York Times, you should fill out a citizen complaint form and mail it, with the unwanted ads, to the Sanitation Department’s enforcement office in Brooklyn.