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Code Enforcement for Building Healthy Communities

Susan Melgren

The role of code enforcement officers is to keep their communities clean and safe. For many officers, their day-to-day focuses on tackling properties in disrepair and preventing neglect from turning into blight. While many communities see the value of code enforcement officers as keeping property values high, preserving property can also impact the health and safety of a community.

Living in or near substandard housing can have an adverse effect on the physical health and safety of citizens, so when code enforcement officers tackle violations in these areas, they’re also helping to build healthy communities as well as prosperous ones.

Health and Safety Risks of Substandard Housing

Residential properties in varying states of neglect and disrepair can present a number of health and safety risks to their inhabitants, especially those in at-risk categories like seniors and children.

  • Structural damage that results in leaks can lead to the development of mold, as well as attract household pests such as cockroaches that leave allergens, creating poor indoor air quality. Coupled with poor ventilation, this can put residents at risk of developing asthma and other respiratory problems.

  • Poor ventilation can also lead to an increase in the transmission of infectious diseases, especially in homes that are overcrowded or may have inadequate plumbing.

  • Structural damage can also pose physical risks, especially in the form of exposed electrical and exposed heating sources.

  • Poor initial design or unauthorized home additions can also block fire exits, creating a major safety concern.

  • Areas suffering from blight with a high degree of vacant housing also often have higher rates of violent crime, creating safety risks for residents.

In these instances, tackling code violations can be a major tool in the fight for clean, safe and healthy housing in a city.

Utilizing Internal and External Resources

Code enforcement officers are often the first line of defense in keeping communities clean and safe – but there is only so much officers can do on their own. Utilizing code enforcement as a means of improving community health and safety will rely heavily on cross-department collaboration, as well as working with organizations outside the local government.

Understanding your internal resources within the structure of the local government will be immensely helpful. Code enforcement officers may have visibility on an issue, but that doesn’t always mean they are always the de facto department for handling the problem. Often the responsibility for enforcing certain elements or providing the necessary education and resources may lie with another department, such as Environmental Health for pests or the Fire department for fire hazards. If a municipality relies on civilian rather than police enforcement, criminal activity will also have to be communicated to the police department. Setting up a system that allows different departments to easily cross-collaborate and communicate, such as a CRM / 311 system, can create efficiencies that can help tackle issues.

Code enforcement can also benefit from partnering with community development organizations or social services providers. These groups can help combat misconceptions of code enforcement by raising awareness among residents and tenants about safety standards and the role of code enforcement officers. Community organizations can also serve as a go-between for code enforcement officers and residents in certain situations, such as when a language barrier exists. Building good relationships with different community organizations can also help code enforcement officers provide additional resources and services to in-need residents that the department can’t provide themselves, helping to improve voluntary compliance.

Utilize Data to Determine Effectiveness

As with all community and government programs, collecting and analyzing data is a key component of determining effectiveness. For municipalities with an eye toward utilizing code enforcement as a means to building healthy communities, looking at the numbers can help to provide an overview of the bigger picture by collecting data on things such as:

  • Cases per year

  • Number of properties inspected

  • Voluntary compliance rate

  • Time from case opening to resolution

Utilizing tools such as code enforcement software that can aggregate data while you go about your day-to-day can be immensely beneficial for piecing together the bigger picture to watch for trends and measure a department’s or program’s impact on the greater community.

For more on measuring effectiveness, check out the article The Value Of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in Code Enforcement.

Additional Resources on Utilizing Code Enforcement for Healthy Communities

For more in-depth reading on how to best maximize the effectiveness of code enforcement departments for creating safe and healthy communities, please check out the following resources: