Instead of taking steps to reduce graffiti, the City Council voted unanimously today to require new mansions behind gates in the hills of Encino be covered in graffiti-resistant surfaces. Actually, the law applies to all single-family homes anywhere in Los Angeles — but sounds stupider when you focus on just how broad of a brush the council used here. Luckily, there is a relief valve: homeowners can opt out by signing a promise to remove any graffiti that occurs within seven days.