Presentation Title
Second Line
August 15, 2016
1 City of Alameda
Building Division and
Code Enforcement Program Update
City Council Meeting
January 7, 2025
ADMINISTRATIVE
SERVICES
DIVISION
BUILDING
DIVISION
PLANNING DIVISION
TRANSPORTATION
PLANNING UNIT
PLANNING, BUILDING &
TRANSPORTATION
DIRECTOR
Supervising Code
Enforcement
Officer
CLIMATE ACTION AND
RESILIENCY TEAM
Administrative
Services
Coordinator
Executive Assistant
Admin. Tech I
(Limited Term)
IT Systems Analyst
Building Official
Senior Code
Enforcement
Officer
Code Enforcement
Officer
Supervising
Building Inspector
Senior
Combination
Building Inspector
(2)
Combination
Building Inspector
I/II (5)
Permit Center
Supervisor
Permit Technician
III (4)
Plan Check
Engineer
City Planner
Planning Services
Manager
Planner III (4)
Transportation
Planning Manager
Senior
Transportation
Coordinator (2)
Sustainability &
Resilience
Manager
Senior
Management
Analyst
Permit Technician
III
Permit Clerk
(Part Time)
Planner
(Part Time)
Civic Spark Intern
(Part Time)
Code EnforcementInspections UnitPermit Center
2024-2025 PBT Department Org Chart
BUILDING
DIVISION
PLANNING, BUILDING &
TRANSPORTATION
DIRECTOR
Supervising Code
Enforcement
Officer
Building Official
Senior Code
Enforcement
Officer
Code Enforcement
Officer
Supervising
Building Inspector
Senior
Combination
Building Inspector
(2)
Combination
Building Inspector
I/II (5)
Permit Center
Supervisor
Permit Technician
III (4)
Permit Clerk
(Part Time)
Code EnforcementInspections UnitPermit Center
Plan Check
Consultants (3)
Plan Check
Engineer
Plan Check
2024-2025 Building Division Org Chart
4 2024 Activity Summary
Permits Issued 4,400
Walk-In Customers Served 3,250
Phone Calls Received 5,270
Emails Received 17,300
Plan Reviews Completed 1,018
Inspections Performed 30,724
Code Enforcement Cases Opened 535
Code Enforcement Inspections Performed 1,024
Building Division Operations
Update of the Code Enforcement Program
Background
6 Ingredients for Successful Code Enforcement
7 A strong Code Enforcement Program thrives on:
Collaboration
Support
Responsiveness
Innovation
Funding
Collaboration with Public Works
8 Streets project being obstructed by unpermitted storage on the public right of way
Our City Engineer deputized us to handle this issue in the ROW
Collaboration with Rent Program
9 People with children living in 2 storage sheds without restrooms and cooking facilities
Our Rent Program was able to arrange Tenant Relocation
Assistance to the residents living in inhumane conditions.
Responsiveness
10 The priority system, initially approved by City Council in 1999 and reconfirmed by City Council in 2020 as follows:
• Highest Priority (Response within 24 hours): Substandard/unsanitary housing, Dangerous buildings, Illegal housing units.
• Medium Priority (Response within 3 working days): Work without permits, Vacant buildings and fee assessment, Administrative building code violations, Abandoned/inoperable vehicles, Offensive or Discriminatory Graffiti, Gas leaf blowers
• Low Priority (Response within 5–10 working days): Signs, fence violations, litter, and front yard paving.
• Secondary Priority (Respond as staff is able to): Non-safety-related issues like Noise violations, Non-offensive or Non-discriminatory Graffiti and Weed abatement.
Responsiveness (Urgent and High Priority)
11 As a future enhancement of the program staff will be proposing a revised priority system for Council’s consideration.
Urgent Priority (Response within 24 hours)
• Life-Safety Issues: Dangerous buildings, illegal housing units, and substandard conditions that pose immediate threats to health and safety. • Environmental Hazards: Illegal release of hazardous materials or major environmental contamination incidents.
• Urgent Graffiti Removal: Offensive or harmful messages (e.g., hate speech).
High Priority (Response within 2–3 working days)
• Work Without Permits: Unauthorized construction activities. • Repeat or Escalated Violations: Properties with a history of unresolved or recurring violations.
• Noise and Air Quality Complaints: Significant violations that affect community health.
Responsiveness (Medium, low, Secondary & Non-Immediate) 12 Medium Priority (Response within 5 working days)
• Community Nuisances: Abandoned vehicles, general graffiti, and administrative code violations not requiring immediate attention. • Minor Safety Concerns: Fence or retaining wall violations that do not pose immediate danger.
• Litter and Waste Complaints: Issues affecting public areas or neighborhood cleanliness.
Low Priority (Response within 7–10 working days)
• Aesthetic Issues: Non-safety-related fence violations, overgrown weeds, or front yard paving concerns.
• Non-Urgent Noise Complaints: Occasional noise complaints that are non- repetitive or occur during allowable hours.
Secondary Priority (Response as Resources Allow)
• Educational Outreach Cases: Providing resources or warnings for first-time violations, such as leaf blower usage or unpermitted signage. • Non-Immediate Community Nuisances: Lesser-impact complaints such as minor weed abatement.
INNOVATION
DELIVERING
EXPEDITIOUS
RESULTS
Innovation Delivering Expeditious Results
Funding
14 Staff estimates that the current
ratio of building-related to non-
building-related cases now
average 50:50. Given this shift,
staff is considering making a
funding request of the General
Fund as part of the upcoming
biennial budget to help offset
the budget impact of the
growing number of non-Building
code cases attributable to new
quality of life policies.
Non-building related code
cases
count
Gas Leaf Blowers 147
Graffiti 34
Weeds 42
Trash 17
Retaining Walls 1
Hedges and Fences 18
Lead Paint 8
Public Nuisance 49
Building Code Violation 218
Total cases for 2024 535
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Number of Cases 199 148 180 485 535
Number of Inspections Performed 627 539 554 925 1025
Building Code Violations 128 111 122 107 268
Quality of Life Issues 71 37 58 378 316
199
148
180
485
535
627
539
554
925
1025
128
111
122
107
268
71 37
58 378
316
Code Enforcement 5-Year Case Load Summary
Gas Leaf Blowers
28%
Graffiti
6%
Weeds
8%
Trash
3%
Retaining Walls Hedges/
Fences 3%
Lead Based Paint 2%
Public
Nuisance
9%
Building Code Violations
41%
Exhibit 3 - 2024 Code Enforcement Cases By Type
Gas Leaf Blowers
Graffiti
Weeds
Trash
Dangerous fence
Fence and others
Lead paint
Public Nuisance
Building Code Violations
Supported by
General Fund
Supported by Permit and
Enforcement Fees
2024 Code Enforcement – Cases by Type
Building Permit Fee Study
17 Building Permit Fees: Staff has identified some fees, like those for residential seismic upgrades, as being too high and potentially deterring critical safety improvements. The study will also reassess staff time assumptions to reflect current practices and process improvements.
Proposed Program Enhancements
18 • With sufficient funding for Code
Enforcement, the Department plans to
implement the following actions in its
2025 Work Plan to further enhance the
Code Enforcement Program:
• Adoption of the International Property
Maintenance Code (IPMC)
• Revise the Code Enforcement Priorities
• Establish a Code Enforcement Abatement
Fund
• Enhance Disaster Response
• Provide additional enforcement for the
Tobacco Licensing Program
Recommendation
Accept this update on the City’s Code Enforcement Program and provide comments.
Support
• A code enforcement program thrives with the support of the Council, City Manager, City Attorney, and various departments, including Police, Fire, Public Works, BRED, Planning, as well as outside agencies and community members.
20 Questions