City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: JULY 15, 2025 FROM: COMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WARD: ALL
DEPARTMENT
SUBJECT: RECOVERY OF FISCAL YEAR 2024/25 UNPAID ADMINISTRATIVE AND ABATEMENT COSTS FOR VARIOUS CODE ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS AND NUISANCE ABATEMENTS AFFECTING REAL PROPERTY IN THE AMOUNT OF $300,111.41 – ADOPTION OF RESOLUTIONS ISSUE:
Adopt Resolutions to approve the accounting of unpaid administrative and abatement costs for Fiscal Year 2024/25 associated with the various code enforcement actions and nuisance abatements affecting real property in the amount of $300,111.41.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council:
Conduct the public hearing;
Approve the accounting of the administrative and abatement costs totaling $300,111.41 as set forth in each of the attached Resolutions shown as Exhibit A; and Adopt four separate Resolutions noted in the staff report as attachments 1-4, assessing the costs and establishing the liens upon the respective parcels of real property to allow for cost recovery of the unpaid balances.
BACKGROUND:
The Administrative Code Enforcement Program, adopted by the City Council on July 13, 1999, enables the Code Enforcement Division to employ appropriate means of cost recovery for administrative costs and abatement services that have been assessed to property owners for non-compliance. Actual costs for abatements can be recovered through a secured property tax lien. Fines and penalties are recovered through different collection methods.
DISCUSSION
When all means of notification, order and appeal have been exhausted to gain voluntary compliance, the Code Enforcement Division often proceeds with abatement action by a contractor. The City then invoices the property owner(s) to collect the amounts of the fees and charges that have been incurred.
After using all means of notification, invoicing, and unsuccessful collection efforts to recover costs from the property owners, the City may attach a lien on the respective properties for the unpaid balances that are thirty (30) days past due. After City Council has adopted the necessary resolutions, the Riverside County Auditor-Controller’s Office will attach a secured lien on the respective property tax bill to recover the unpaid balances.
As required by Riverside Municipal Code, the City will post a notice of the Public Hearing on July 1, 2025, in the Press Enterprise.
Attachments 1-4 represent four separate Resolutions that each include Exhibit A which identifies outstanding balances for Administrative Costs, Abatement of Dangerous Buildings, Debris/Rubbish Abatements, and Weed and Brush Nuisance Abatements. Properties identified in each exhibit A are subject to revision, as payments are received up to the time of City Council action on this matter. Unpaid balances for fiscal year 2024-2025 need to be filed by August 15, 2025, with the Riverside County Auditor-Controller’s Office, to appear on the 2025-2026 property tax bills.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The fiscal impact of this action is a reduction in revenue of $300,111.41.
These amounts have been previously billed and recorded as revenue. However, as of the writing of this report, they remain uncollected and will be subject to revenue reversal in accordance with accounting standards. If any of the abatement costs are recovered through the lien process, the associated revenue will be re-recognized and allocated as shown in the table below.
Exhibit
Fund
Program
Account
Amount
1-A
General Fund
Abatement of Dangerous Buildings
2840000-340401
$22,497.65
2-A
Rubbish, Refuse, Trash/Debris or
Waste Matter Abatements
2840000-362300
$125,913.46
3-A
Weed and Brush Nuisance Abatements
2840000-362100
$82,982.28
4-A
Administrative Costs
2840000-353700
$68,718.02
Total
$300,111.41
Prepared by: Chris Pullin, Senior Code Enforcement Officer Approved by: Jennifer A. Lilley, Community & Economic Development Director Certified as to
availability of funds: Kristie Thomas, Finance Director/Assistant Chief Financial Officer Approved by: Rafael Guzman, Assistant City Manager
Approved as to form: Rebecca McKee-Reimbold, City Attorney Attachments:
Resolution - Abatement of Dangerous Buildings
Resolution - Rubbish, Refuse, Trash/Debris or Waste Matter Abatements Resolution - Weed and Brush Nuisance Abatements
Resolution - Administrative Costs
Notice of Public Hearing
Presentation
Recovery of Administrative and Abatement Costs ● Page 2 Recovery of Administrative and Abatement Costs ● Page 3