Willow Glen Resident

News

Response time on code issues to improve with added staff time

By Eli Segall

The San Jose Code Enforcement Division has recently come under heavy fire for not preventing an illegal removal of trees in Willow Glen.

San Jose residents notified city staff about rumors regarding a possible cutting more than a week before the Jan. 13 incident. In response to the rumors, the San Jose Planning Department, which includes code enforcement, sent a letter dated Jan. 9 notifying property owners Todd and Anita Holt of the need for proper permits should a removal take place. One week later, after the trees fell, residents named improved code enforcement as a budget priority during a citywide neighborhood forum.

Elected officials have also put code enforcement under the spotlight. Last fall Councilman Dave Cortese requested the city manager assess the division's complaint-handling process, citing poor follow-up on cases and limited interagency coordination. In response, planning department deputy director Mike Hannon, who oversees code enforcement, issued new policies for repeat code violators and city staff's use of verbal warnings.

More policy initiatives will be released March 1, Hannon said.

"Whether it's liquor licenses, housing or trees, everyone's looking for better enforcement," said Ernest Guzman, chairman of the Strong Neighborhoods Initiative Project Advisory Committee.

The SNI PAC lists improved code enforcement as its No. 1 priority. But Guzman said, "You've got to have the manpower to be able to do that."

Code enforcement tackles city blight, including graffiti, building code violations and front yard garbage. In general, the division works on problems residents report, but it also "proactively targets" cases, such as abandoned vehicles and off-sale alcohol, said planning director Joseph Horwedel.

Since 2000, the number of code inspectors has dropped from 59 to 52, despite a 50,000-plus population increase in San Jose. The division handles 24,000 to 27,000 cases per year, Hannon said.

Of the 52 inspectors, 34 investigate general code violations. However, the funding source for the inspector's salaries can restrict work to specific neighborhood problems. Inspectors paid by the city's general fund, however, are given free rein to tackle any problem, anywhere. Inspectors' salaries are also paid for by the San Jose Redevelopment Agency, solid-waste fees and federal neighborhood improvement grants.

Six years ago, the general fund paid 18.75 inspectors' salaries; however, due to budget cuts, that number is now 4.75 inspectors.

"We've been asked every year for the past five years to cut a portion of our general fund expenditures," Horwedel said. "As a result, we've got 77 percent of our complaints occurring in areas with 45 percent of our inspectors."

Judy Purrington is one resident feeling the effects of the shortfall. The South San Jose resident has fought for years for neighborhood beautification projects. Phone calls to code enforcement are seldom returned, and promised inspections rarely occur, she said.

"You have to be persistent with them to get anything done," Purrington said. "Most likely they're just pitifully short on people."

Improvements are on the horizon, though. Last year four positions were added to address neighborhood blight, including abandoned shopping carts and housing code violations.

In addition residents should soon notice an increase in response time to neighborhood code violations. As of March 12, the city will have weekend inspectors in the office to answer calls and help stop violations in progress, Hannon said.

Code enforcement is also developing an online program that will allow public access to information historically kept private, such as case updates and the names of inspectors working each case. That program will be available April 1, Hannon said.