DATE: January 27, 2026
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Edward Hill, Chief Operating Officer
SUBJECT: Code Enforcement Division Quarterly Update
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Receive quarterly update on the Code Enforcement program.
REPORT
Your Board has requested quarterly updates on the progress of the Code Enforcement program.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
This item is to provide the Board an update on the quarterly progress of the Code Enforcement program. Alternatively, your Board may direct staff to modify the reporting format or adjust the frequency of future updates as deemed necessary.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. Potential direction could create fiscal impacts and would be addressed in future Board Agenda Items.
DISCUSSION:
On March 11, 2025 your Board was presented with recommended changes to the Code Enforcement program to improve the County’s response to complaints received from the public about unmaintained and unsafe properties. Subsequently, your Board approved the structural reassignment of the Code Enforcement program to the County Administrative Office on April 22, 2025 and authorized the addition of seven additional positions and requested quarterly updates on our progress.
The first quarterly report was provided to your Board on August 5, 2025. Since the last Board update the Code Enforcement Division has continued to make measurable progress in workload management and case resolution. It remains our top priority to ensure all calls for service are responded to immediately and all non-complying property owners achieve compliance quickly.
Over the last three months (August 1, 2025, through October 31, 2025) Code Enforcement has made significant advancements in several areas including: development of response prioritization, recruitment and training of staff, streamlining processes, cost recovery, data collection and program monitoring.
Code Enforcement Response Prioritization:
Given the continued new case volume, we have implemented a prioritization response process. This process prioritizes potential health and safety cases with an initial response time of 24-48 hours. Examples of these types of cases include hazardous conditions, dangerous buildings, open/vacant buildings, and fire damaged buildings. We are currently meeting this metric 91% of the time. The second-tier priorities require an initial response within three days and include, but not limited to, cases such as construction without permits, illegal dumping, illegal occupancy, unapproved structures, tall dry grass/weeds. Currently we are meeting this metric 63% of the time. The third-tier priorities require a three-to-five-day initial response and include, but not limited to, cases such as rubbish/junk, land use permit violations, abandoned/inoperable vehicles, zoning code violations, fence height issues, and sign violations. Currently we are meeting this metric 76% of the time.
Our primary challenges in this area are driven by the fact that all our staff are new to their roles and require training and support to develop the necessary experience and proficiency. Currently, our Senior Code Enforcement Officers are spending a significant amount of time mentoring and training new staff. As staff become more proficient the Senior Code Enforcement Officers will begin to take additional cases. Once training has been completed and staff become more proficient, we will be able to truly evaluate staffing levels and workloads and return to your Board with a recommendation.
Recruitment and Training of Staff:
Thanks to the Boards action over the past six months, staffing levels in Code Enforcement has increased to 10 Code Enforcement Officers and the addition of a Staff Analyst position to assist with administration. Currently, Code Enforcement only has two Officer vacancies, and we are in the process of filling those positions. Code Enforcement Officer training has continued, and the division continues to evaluate and enhance training opportunities. Recently, the division implemented the Complex Case Review program where complex cases are reviewed from start to finish, allowing all staff to benefit from the lessons learned from others. These case reviews also bring in experience and input from other departments who assisted in the case such as County Counsel, Public Works and Planning, and Sheriff’s Office. These sessions will allow the division to continue to identify potential areas of overlap and opportunities for future process improvement.
Streamlining Processes:
Using the lessons learned above as well as previous areas of departmental overlap, on October 7, 2025, your Board adopted the proposed omnibus ordinance amendments for Chapters 1.13, 1.14, 1.16, 8.22, 11.44, 11.45, 15.04 and 15.32. These amendments assisted with the strengthening of the Code Enforcement program and increased responsiveness by addressing departmental overlap and ambiguity. These changes added Code Enforcement as a division capable of issuing citations and imposing fines, added Code Enforcement as an agency able to initiate administrative and summary abatement proceedings, the ability to enforce and remove abandoned and inoperable vehicles, and added Code Enforcement as a division to enforce substandard housing.
Cost Recovery:
Since the Code Enforcement program review and its transfer to the County Administrative Office, several cost recovery measures have been implemented, including hourly rates and special tax assessments on non-conforming properties. The first set of recovered funds has already been received. As approved by your Board on August 19, 2025, under Section 4400 of the Master Schedule of Fees, proposed hourly rates ensure staff time is accurately measured for activities such as investigations, enforcement, clerical work, notices, hearings, abatement, and compliance monitoring, where cost recovery is legally allowed.
Data Collection and Program Monitoring:
A major challenge in the Code Enforcement program has been the absence of effective performance monitoring, due to reliance on a database designed for general planning rather than code enforcement. To address this, staff conducted a formal Request for Proposal (RFP) process and selected a code enforcement management system tailored for tracking actions, reporting progress, and supporting cost recovery. The new platform will feature automated billing, AI-powered assistance for accurate complaint submissions, mobile apps for Android and iOS, and customizable dashboards that automatically generate performance indicators. It also offers opportunities for future expansion and shared departmental use, improving efficiency, transparency, and responsiveness to public complaints. We anticipate presenting the contract to your Board within the next couple of months, with implementation, training and data migration expected to take between eight to twelve months after execution.
Statistics for Last Quarter (August 2025 - November 2025):
• Notice of Violations issued: 203
• Notices and Orders issued: 14
• Administrative Citations issued: 128
• Abatement warrants: 4
• Abatements initiated: 4
• Abatements completed: 4
• Special Assessments issued: 3
• Special Assessments collected: 2
• Special Assessments pending: 5
These updates highlight the substantial progress achieved in strengthening the Code Enforcement Division. Through the support of your Board and collaboration with partner agencies, we have made meaningful improvements to our processes and outcomes. At the same time, we recognize that challenges remain, such as overlapping departmental responsibilities, adapting to new ordinances, managing increased case volumes, and ensuring continued development of our relatively new team through ongoing training.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #28, October 7, 2025
BAI #36, August 19, 2025
BAI #11, August 5, 2025
BAI #8, April 22, 2025
BAI #10, March 11, 2025
CAO ANALYST:
Fine Nai