Staff Report
City Council
Item No. 2.C
Meeting Date: July 22, 2026
From: Justin Gardiner, Code Compliance Manager
Title: Code Compliance Volunteer Program
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommend City Council receive the report, discuss the proposed Community Engagement and Enhancement Program, and provide direction to staff regarding implementation of a twelve-month pilot program within the Code Compliance Division.
Staff recommend a limited pilot program that would allow trained volunteers to assist the Code Compliance Division with community outreach, education, neighborhood enhancement activities, and observational reporting, while maintaining clear operational boundaries and preserving all enforcement responsibilities for represented Code Compliance staff.
BACKGROUND:
The Code Compliance Division is responsible for enforcing municipal code standards, responding to community concerns, supporting neighborhood quality of life, and educating residents and businesses regarding City requirements. In addition to formal enforcement activities, the Division regularly participates in public outreach, community events, educational efforts, and neighborhood enhancement initiatives.
The proposed Community Engagement and Enhancement Program, or CEEP, is intended to provide residents with a structured opportunity to support the community while assisting the Code Compliance Division with limited non-enforcement activities. The program is modeled after successful municipal volunteer programs, such as the City of Eastvale, and is designed to complement existing City services without replacing, expanding into, or assuming the responsibilities of Code Compliance staff.
CEEP would allow trained volunteers to assist with outreach, education, and neighborhood enhancement efforts under the direction of City staff. The program would also provide additional observational reporting support for community concerns visible from public streets and public right of way.
The program is intentionally designed as a non-confrontational, non-enforcement support program. All enforcement authority, compliance determinations, investigations, inspections, case actions, and enforcement related public contacts would remain exclusively with Code Compliance Officers.
DISCUSSION:
The proposed Community Engagement and Enhancement Program would provide a formal structure for residents who want to support neighborhood quality of life efforts and participate in community improvement activities. The program would expand the Division’s ability to provide outreach and education while maintaining clear limits on volunteer authority and duties.
Program Objectives
The objectives of CEEP include increasing community engagement and volunteerism, enhancing public awareness of municipal standards, expanding Code Compliance visibility at community events, supporting neighborhood quality of life initiatives, providing additional observational reporting capabilities, and building stronger partnerships between residents and City government.
The program would not be used as an enforcement tool. Instead, it would provide a way for trained volunteers to assist with community-facing activities that support the broader mission of Code Compliance.
Scope of Volunteer Activities
CEEP volunteers would serve in a strictly non-enforcement capacity. Approved volunteer activities may include staffing Code Compliance information booths at community events, distributing educational materials, assisting with neighborhood outreach efforts, promoting City services and reporting tools, removing illegally placed signs located in the public right of way, verifying garage sale permits, posting courtesy notices under staff direction, and participating in neighborhood beautification and enhancement efforts.
Volunteers may also assist with exterior only observational documentation and reporting.
This may include drive by observations of identified vacant or abandoned properties, documenting visible exterior conditions from public streets or public right of way, submitting photographs and observational notes through GoGov or other City approved reporting platforms, and reporting quality of life concerns observed during assigned activities.
Volunteer Limitations
CEEP volunteers will not perform duties assigned to represented Code Compliance staff/positions, such as:
issue citations,
conduct inspections,
conduct investigations,
make compliance determinations,
enter private property or structures,
initiate enforcement actions,
conduct enforcement related public contacts,
represent themselves as Code Compliance Officers,
perform parking enforcement, or
authorize towing
All volunteer activities would be education centered and are intended to be non- confrontational. Volunteers would be trained to disengage from any situation that becomes unsafe, confrontational, unclear, or enforcement related.
Distinction from Other Volunteer Programs
CEEP would be operationally distinct from the Police Department’s Citizens on Patrol program and any other volunteer program that may involve delegated enforcement related authority.
Unlike programs that may support parking enforcement, vehicle abatement, citation issuance, towing, or other enforcement related functions, CEEP volunteers would serve exclusively in community engagement, outreach, observational documentation, and neighborhood enhancement roles.
Volunteer Eligibility and Participation
Program participants would be required to be at least 18 years of age, successfully complete the City’s volunteer application process, pass a background check, execute required liability waivers and volunteer agreements, complete required training, and maintain a valid California driver’s license if authorized to operate City vehicles.
To maintain active status, volunteers would be expected to contribute a minimum of ten hours of service per month. Establishing a minimum participation requirement would help ensure program continuity, maintain volunteer engagement, and provide an appropriate return on the City’s training and onboarding investment.
Training and Field Orientation
All volunteers would complete a structured orientation program administered by the Code Compliance Division. Training topics may include an overview of municipal code standards and Code Compliance operations, volunteer role limitations, authority boundaries, safety and disengagement procedures, community interaction expectations, documentation and reporting procedures, use of GoGov and related technology platforms, and vehicle operation requirements where applicable.
Following classroom instruction, volunteers would participate in supervised field orientation with experienced Code Compliance Officers. This field orientation would allow volunteers to become familiar with approved program activities, documentation procedures, safety protocols, and operational expectations.
Upon successful completion of training and field orientation, volunteers may be assigned approved program activities consistent with established guidelines.
Volunteer training would use approximately 20 hours of City Staff time to complete.
Uniform and Identification
Volunteers would be provided with City issued clothing, e.g., two (2) polo shirts, identifying them as participants in the Community Engagement and Enhancement Program. Clothing items would clearly distinguish volunteers from Code Compliance Officers and other enforcement personnel.
The preliminary estimated cost for clothing is approximately $50 per volunteer.
Vehicle Use
Subject to approval and established operating procedures, volunteers may be authorized to utilize City owned vehicles for approved program activities.
Vehicle use has been discussed with Risk Management and would be subject to completion of required training, verification of a valid driver’s license, compliance with City vehicle use policies, and any additional requirements established by Risk Management.
Vehicle use would be limited to authorized, non-enforcement activities consistent with the program’s mission and scope. The Division is currently evaluating availability and utilization of existing pool vehicles to determine whether existing fleet resources could support program operations.
Technology and Equipment
To facilitate reporting, documentation, and communication, the program may require limited technology resources. Preliminary equipment needs may include one to two cellular-enabled iPads, protective cases and accessories, and associated cellular service plans. Preliminary estimates are approximately $800 per iPad/protective case. Cellular/data service costs usually range from $20-$25 per month. Final equipment and service costs would be developed in coordination with the Information Technology Division.
Volunteer Management Software
To support scheduling, volunteer tracking, training records, and activity reporting, the Division may utilize a volunteer management platform such as the Volunteer Information Management System, or VIMS.
Current pricing indicates an estimated cost of approximately $40/month for programs serving up to 25 volunteers. Such a platform would provide centralized volunteer management, activity tracking, reporting capabilities, and performance measurement tools.
Community Partnership Opportunities
The Community Engagement and Enhancement Program is designed as a non-enforcement outreach and observational support program. For volunteers seeking more hands-on community service opportunities, the City may provide information regarding volunteer opportunities with community partners and nonprofit organizations, such as Habitat for Humanity and other local service providers engaged in cleanup, rehabilitation, and neighborhood improvement efforts.
Participation in those outside activities would occur independently of CEEP and under the direction of the respective organization.
Pilot Program
Staff recommends that CEEP be implemented as a twelve-month pilot program. The pilot period would allow the City to evaluate volunteer participation levels, community engagement outcomes, operational effectiveness, resource requirements, risk considerations, and fiscal sustainability.
At the conclusion of the pilot period, staff would provide an evaluation report with recommendations regarding continuation, modification, or expansion of the program.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The direct cost estimate includes:
$50 per volunteer for city-issued clothing,
$1600 for two (2) shared iPads/protective cases,
$480-$600/year for cellular/data service, and
$480/year for Volunteer Management Software
The estimated indirect cost is approximately $3,088 per volunteer, comprised of approximately 20 hours staff time for onboarding, training, field orientation, volunteer coordination, and administrative processing. These indirect costs are from already budgeted positions. The estimated staff time includes:
four (4) hours Code Compliance Manager at $232/hour, and sixteen (16) hours of Code Compliance Officer II at $135/hour.
FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN:
Goal A – Serve the Community with Pride and Dedication
Goal D – Innovation
Goal F – Embracing, Inclusive Community