KENNESAW, Ga. -- Residents of a Kennesaw neighborhood are angry after someone drew a swastika on a fence in the Lullwater neighborhood.

“It kind of blows my mind away that something like that would happen in this neighborhood,” said resident Robert Lee.

The swastika and the letters “KKK” were drawn on the fence in chalk. Another resident took a picture of the images before cleaning the fence.

Lee said that he’ll work harder to make sure his children don’t see images like those.

“Something like that really gets to me. It makes me worry to have my kids outside and just playing on the street,” Lee said.

“It is shocking. We have a black president. So people have to learn to move on,” said neighbor Chris Chrispin.

Chrispin moved to Lullwater earlier this year. She lives next door to the home where the swastika was found.

The homeowners, who didn’t want to be identified, said they suspect teenagers are behind the crime.

If that's the case, Chrispin said she wishes the kids would find something better to do.

“There's too much stuff going on here, like the football field, the pool. Do other things that is more productive,” Chrispin said.

“It's disgraceful to the people who live here and unfortunately, to the people who are doing it,” said neighbor Andy Smith.

Kennesaw is not the only metro Atlanta community troubled by this kind of vandalism. Less than two weeks ago, swastikas and vulgar graffiti were painted on homes in Sandy springs and Dunwoody.

CBS Atlanta spoke with Bill Nigut, the southeast regional director of the Anti-Defamation League, who said the organization is seeing an increase in hostility.

Nigut said his organization also just learned that police are investigating another case of swastikas painted in an Acworth, a case that police have not yet confirmed with CBS Atlanta.

Nigut pointed to the economy as a possible reason for the increased hostility.