Code Enforcement and Community Preservation staff continue to strive towards proactive and clear communication with residents and reporting parties regarding municipal code property standards violations, their related concerns, and answering any questions regarding our procedures and code. Responsiveness, education, and listening to our residents are the primary focuses of our communication efforts in Code Enforcement as we work towards achieving compliance on an issue, and these focuses are true for our work with both responsible private property owners as well as reporting parties. In addition to our standard Courtesy Notices, Notices of Violation, and Administrative Citations, Code Enforcement has placed a focus on new "courtesy letters" that are utilized in appropriate cases when communication and/or compliance are not seen and fines have been issued, as we believe more communication could be done before any abatement efforts or possible Court action.
We have also placed particular focus on increasing the frequency with which we are meeting property owners at their properties, on their terms, to discuss any code violations, educate them on our ordinances, hear out their concerns and input, while working with them to formulate a plan and timeline towards compliance. With the most severe or chronic properties in the City where compliance is not seen, or where we feel possible imminent danger or risk may be present to residents in, on, or near a property, we have updated and deployed new interdisciplinary efforts and procedures with teams such as Building, Fire, and Police to further investigate these challenging properties and explore all legal, safe, and practical solutions possible in enforcing property standard ordinances and achieving compliance in a safe manner while respecting private property rights and the rights of those we serve.