Economic Development
Committee Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF DATE: SEPTEMBER 17, 2026 THE COMMITTEE FROM: COMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WARDS: ALL DEPARTMENT SUBJECT: DISCUSSION REGARDING CODE ENFORCEMENT OPERATIONS, PROCESSES, AND PRACTICES ISSUE:
Discuss City of Riverside Code Enforcement operations, division processes, and practices.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the Economic Development Committee:
Receive and file the report;
Provide feedback on processes; and
Provide direction to staff to continue researching best practices for enhanced operations and direct staff to return with additional information for deliberation by the City Council.
BACKGROUND:
The Code Enforcement Division is responsible for protecting public health, safety, and welfare by ensuring compliance with ordinances established within the Riverside Municipal Code (RMC), zoning regulations, and property maintenance standards. The division encourages voluntary compliance through effective public contact and education, building cooperative partnerships throughout the community, and enforcing the law in a consistent, impartial, and equitable manner. The division operates on a set of values to foster a culture that is helpful, approachable, knowledgeable, and of the highest integrity.
DISCUSSION:
Area Assignments for Efficient Service
Officers are assigned to a geographical area of the City and are responsible for addressing cases in that area and any other cases requiring their assistance. This is structured to provide equitable caseloads with a focus on efficiency. In most cases, inspections are made by one officer. In situations where officer safety is a concern or the case is complex, additional officers may be needed to assist; however, the assigned officer is still the primary person responsible for the case.
Public Contact and Engagement
Code Enforcement Officers attempt to personally contact the property owner, tenant, business owner, manager or other responsible party to the extent possible at each location they are inspecting, unless there is good cause not to make such contact such as a safety concern or direction from supervision. Contact should be made in a professional manner, and the officer shall identify him/her self and their Department and explain the purpose of their visit. The officer will clearly explain the violation(s) in question and outline the actions necessary to comply. Every attempt shall be made to answer the party’s questions thoroughly and provide excellent customer service. If at any time during this contact the party asks the Code Enforcement Officer to leave the property or cease conducting the inspection, the officer will leave and seek another remedy for addressing the violation(s).
Barring unusual circumstances, Code Enforcement Officers attempt to issue any notices or citations directly to the responsible party at the time of the inspection. When the responsible party is not present, the officer will post the notice or citation in a conspicuous location. The Municipal Code (RMC 1.17) states that any required notice may be served by any of the following methods:
Personal Service
Proof of Mail and first-class mail to the responsible party at their last known address per public records as it relates to title.
Posted at the property and mailing a copy first class.
A citation or notice is not issued unless the officer has adequate evidence to substantiate the violation(s). In most cases, the officer personally observes the violation(s) and obtains the necessary evidence. The most common and valuable types of evidence are photographic evidence and the officers’ documentation of their observations.
Code Enforcement case files should be formatted in a manner that is organized and easy to understand. Files include location of violation, occupant/property owner contact information, notes/observations of the officer, additional contacts from responsible parties, photographs, and other relevant information.
Types of Violations
Code Enforcement responds to a wide variety of violations on a reactive complaint basis. General enforcement authority is established in RMC 1.17 and allows the use of any judicial and administrative remedies available within the Code, including enforcement of Title 19 (Zoning Code). Typical types of violations Code Officers respond to include, but are not limited to:
Animals
Unpermitted construction
Housing code violations
Graffiti
Green pools
Homeless encampments on private property
Coordination with Public Safety Engagement Team (PSET) for public property.
Illegal businesses
Inoperable vehicles
Miscellaneous violations
Trash and debris
Outdoor storage
Sewage
Signs
Vendors
Overgrown weeds
Zoning violations
Violations are reported to 311 and directly to Code Enforcement, and by other means including interdepartmental or City Council referrals. An overview of all open cases by violation type is included below for reference.
Required Training
A robust training program is in place for all new and existing Code Enforcement Officers. Included in the training program is:
Abatement Process
Administrative Citations
Administrative Civil Penalties Process
Administrative Hearings
All Required Human Resources Training
Anti-Harassment Training
Building Permit Research
Case Documentation
Certificate of Appropriateness
City Attorney’s Office Coordination
City Geography
Code Enforcement Case Management System
Code Familiarization/Violation Recognition
Commercial Mascots
Contractor Abatement and Approval Process
Customer Service Standards and Expectations
Cybersecurity Training
De-escalation and Procedural Justice Training
Equipment Use/Understanding
Food Truck/Sidewalk Vendor Enforcement
Garage Sales
GIS Viewer
Homeless Encampments
Illegal Signs/Banners
Inoperable Vehicles – AVA Process
Inspection and Abatement Warrant Process
Landscape Maintenance
Marijuana Cultivation
Notice of Pendency
Notice to Abate/Consent to Abate/Consent to Inspect
Officer Safety/Situational Awareness
Open and Vacant Properties
Over-height Fencing
Property Maintenance
Public Contact
Receivership and Judicial Lien Process
Room Rental/Short Term Rentals
Safe Driving Practices
Stagnant Water/Green Pool Investigations
Substandard Housing
Trash, Debris, and Outdoor Storage
Uniform Standards and Professional Appearance
Unpaved Parking and Other Parking Violations
Unpermitted Construction
Vehicle Occupancy
Verbal and Written Notices
Zoning/Land Use/Conditional Use Permit (M/CUP) Enforcement Officers are required to obtain and maintain Penal Code (PC) 832 certification within one year of hire. The training required for certification includes criminal justice, laws of arrest, and report writing. Additional staff training has commenced with an emphasis on customer service, professional conduct, de-escalation techniques, procedural justice, community engagement, and building and maintaining public trust. Staff also participates in ongoing training through the California Association of Code Enforcement Officers (CACEO), Civica Law, and City Human Resources. Staff are also exploring cross-training and learning exchanges with other jurisdictions for sharing best practices.
Supervisory Oversight & Support
Senior Code Enforcement Officers serve as supervisors and routinely conduct reviews of cases to ensure compliance with established procedures, identify training opportunities, and confirm consistency across enforcement practices. Additionally, supervisors review cases where a property owner disputes a finding, and all cases that are appealed. When inconsistencies or insufficient evidence is observed, supervisors may dismiss or amend citations and require the officer to conduct more research or obtain additional evidence prior to continuing enforcement efforts. Supervisors review officers’ cases to ensure corrective actions have been completed and that cases are proceeding through the process. Supervisors regularly communicate with their teams to discuss best practices and any concerns that are observed.
Sidewalk Vendor Program Overview
Senate Bill (SB) 946 became effective on January 1, 2019, as Government Code sections 51036 – 51039. This law decriminalized sidewalk vending with the intent to promote entrepreneurship and economic development opportunities for low-income and immigrant communities. The general rule of SB 946 is that any restriction on a sidewalk vendor must be directly related to an objective health, safety, or welfare concern.
The City Council adopted RMC Section 5.38 in December 2021 to expand opportunities for sidewalk vendors to conduct business in the City of Riverside. Sidewalk vendors are defined as individuals who sell food or merchandise from a pushcart, stand, display, pedal-driven cart, wagon, showcase, rack, or other nonmotorized conveyance, or from one's person, upon a public sidewalk or other pedestrian path (RMC 5.38.015). In addition to complying with the RMC, sidewalk food vendors are subject to state and local health standards and are extensively regulated by the Riverside County Environmental Health Department. They must obtain a County Health Permit, pass regular health inspections, and prominently display the County certification sticker. Furthermore, sidewalk vendors operating within the Riverside City limits must also obtain a City Business Tax Certificate and Sidewalk Vendor Permit.
The City of Riverside currently has 15 licensed sidewalk vendors operating in the City. Since 2024, Code Enforcement has issued more than 100 administrative citations to sidewalk vendors. Most violations involved operating without the required County Environmental Health Permit or a City Business Tax Certificate, as well as blocking sidewalks. Upon initial contact, a warning is issued without a citation associated. All sidewalk vendors receive an informational brochure outlining the City’s guidelines, which is available in English and Spanish. A chart showing the number of citations issued to street vendors, as well as citations that have been paid is below. Despite the number of citations issued, only a small number of citations are paid. Citation amounts increase upon repeat violations.
Approximately 4% of cases Code Enforcement Officers respond to are related to vendor enforcement. The Division has implemented procedures to ensure consistent and immediate guidance regarding vendor contacts and education, documentation requirements, progressive enforcement practices, officer safety considerations, coordination with partner agencies, and case management expectations. As is the policy with responding to cases, only reactive enforcement is done. Officers respond to calls received, unless a life safety issue is observed.
Many sidewalk vendors that staff encounters are unpermitted/unlicensed stationary food vendors that set up a cooking and serving area with a portable canopy, lighting, customer seating, etc. in the City’s rights-of-way. These vendors have primarily been from Los Angeles County and tend to require numerous contacts, citations, and repeated enforcement actions before they comply by obtaining the necessary permits or cease selling.
Sidewalk vendors must follow the regulations established in RMC Section 5.38.115 (Sidewalk vendor location requirements), and RMC Section 5.38.120, (Other sidewalk vendor regulations). Riverside’s sidewalk vendor regulations establish where, when, and how sidewalk vending may operate to balance vending opportunities with public safety, accessibility, traffic flow, and neighborhood impacts. Vendors may operate from sunrise to sunset in residential areas and until midnight elsewhere but cannot remain stationary on residential streets and must continually move, stopping no more than 30 minutes to make sales. Vending is prohibited where it obstructs pedestrian or vehicle traffic, traffic signals, emergency access, loading zones, bus stops, disability access, bikeways, public infrastructure, medians, or designated loading areas, and vendors must maintain a four-foot unobstructed pedestrian path. Additional restrictions apply near emergency facilities and temporary permitted events. Vendors must prominently display required permits, avoid creating nuisances, use carts no larger than 6 feet by 4 feet, limit signage and equipment, provide a minimum four-cubic-foot refuse container, and may not use loudspeakers or sell directly to customers in vehicles. Food vendors are limited to one small table and one ice chest, with no customer seating, and may have limited awnings or umbrellas. Vendors are responsible for keeping the surrounding area clean, and vending equipment must remain attended and cannot be stored or left in public spaces overnight.
Pursuant to RMC 5.38.125, sidewalk vending is prohibited in six designated regional reserve/open space parks: Box Springs Mountain, Challen Park, Mount Rubidoux, Pachappa Hill, Quail Run, and Sycamore Canyon Wilderness Park, with an additional restriction along a portion of San Andreas Avenue/Glenwood Drive near Mount Rubidoux. The prohibition is intended to address health, safety, and welfare concerns; preserve public access and enjoyment of natural and recreational resources; and prevent concentrations of commercial activity that could negatively impact the scenic, natural character of these areas.
If an officer contacts a vendor that is operating outside of regulations, the officer will explain what corrective actions are needed and provide an informational brochure in English and Spanish. Since the County of Riverside and other jurisdictions have their own regulations, Officers explain these codes pertain to the City of Riverside. For repeat violations, administrative citations may be issued, and perishable items may be confiscated and disposed of in accordance with RMC 6.15.021.
Sidewalk vendors whose permit applications are denied, or whose permits are suspended or revoked pursuant to RMC 5.38.110, may appeal the Permit Officer’s decision to the Land Use, Sustainability & Resilience Committee. An appeal must be submitted in writing to the City Manager’s Office within ten days of receiving notice of the denial, suspension, or revocation. The Committee shall review and decide the appeal, and its decision shall be final.
Currently there are 2,111 open Code Enforcement cases, of which 71 are related to sidewalk vendors. Below is the breakdown of vendor cases by ward, and a comparison of vendor and total open cases by ward.
In an effort to respond to recent inquiries regarding former staff conduct and to research best practices, staff conducted surveys to ascertain the methods used to conduct street vendor enforcement. Responses were received from ten local jurisdictions and are detailed in the following table.
The jurisdictions surveyed reported that the biggest challenge they face is the inability to issue more than an administrative fine. They generally commented that a small percentage of the sidewalk vendors continue to return, despite citations and having food confiscated and disposed of. Some cities also state that many of the vendors come from outside of the area.
The results of this survey show that the other jurisdictions are facing the same challenges as Riverside, and all respondents have a very similar enforcement protocol. The survey did not identify new strategies that could be implemented by Riverside; however, two of the jurisdictions utilize contract services for their vendor enforcement efforts.
CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the Economic Development Committee receive and file the report, provide feedback on current Code Enforcement processes, and provide direction to staff to continue researching best practices for enhanced operations. Staff would then return with additional information and recommendations for further consideration and deliberation by the City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact associated with this report.
Prepared by: Chris Pullin, Code Enforcement Manager Approved by: Miranda Evans, Community & Economic Development Director Certified as to
availability of funds: Julie Nemes, Finance Director
Approved by: Gilbert Hernandez, Assistant City Manager Approved as to form: James Johnson, City Attorney
Code Enforcement Processes – Page 2