Classes

A solid code enforcement case, like a good table, rests on four legs. One is the law: we must know how to read and interpret complex text. Another are the facts: we must gather photos, recordings, communication, interviews to prove a violation occurred. The third is the responsible party: we must ensure we have found the person legally in control of the property, who knew about the violation, had the ability to correct it, and failed to do so. The fourth is the internal protocol: we must show we did everything to the tee, and did it in a reasonable manner. In this class, we will consider each leg in detail so your case can withstand legal scrutiny. 

If you work in a densely populated community, you probably get complaints about barking dogs, blasting music, arguing neighbors, hovering helicopters, and loud construction.  Can you respond to these complaints, and if so, to what degree?  In this class you will learn about the challenges and successes of a small California city where 36,000 people are squeezed on a 2-square-mile area and hear each other’s cough.  You will learn what makes a good noise ordinance, what constitutes its limitations, and what enforcement powers you have.

This seminar will demonstrate the advantages and intricacies of the administrative citation—an essential tool of code enforcement—and turn those who still do not believe in it into loyal admirers.  You will learn how to change your Code, implement the administrative citation program, bring financial rewards to your city, and—most importantly—improve compliance.  Leave behind the beast of criminal prosecution and live happily ever after with the beauty of the administrative citation!

As many municipalities struggle with how to handle short-term rentals, in this class we will consider the experience of one of the country’s prime destinations where visitors choose to pay a lot of money to sleep on strangers' couches.  We will discuss what law needs to be in place to regulate or prohibit short-term rentals, how to investigate the law’s violations, and how to circumvent some of its enforcement challenges.

You may never have to stand in front of a judge, but you must be prepared to do so. Your code enforcement case may go to court months, sometimes years later. But it begins when you see the violation for the first time. Your case will succeed or fail if it rests, like a sturdy table, on four legs. One is the law: know how to read and interpret often complex text. Another are the facts: gather photos, recordings, communication, interviews to prove a violation occurred. The third is the correct responsible party: ensure you have found the person legally in control of the property, who knew about the violation, had the ability to correct it, and failed to do so. The fourth is the internal protocol: show you did everything—to the tee—the code and protocol requires, and you did so in a reasonable and ethical manner. In this class, we will consider each leg in detail so your case can withstand legal scrutiny.

Code enforcement officers' engagement with the current Building Code is limited.  This is because we rarely go to active construction sites.  More often we investigate structures built ten, fifty, sometimes hundred years ago, so our job is to know what was legal at that time.  In this class, we will discuss the four important areas in which we engage with the current Code.  We will also learn how to research older construction and zoning laws so we can identify and enforce violations in pre-existing buildings.

As a profession, code enforcement appeared in the 1970s, but in this class we will explore its history as far back as Colonial times.  We’ll trace its origins and development in the last 300 years and ask ourselves, Why did code enforcement appear at all and why did it grow?  What social need does it fulfill?  Has code enforcement remained the same or changed?  Whether you are an aspiring student or a seasoned professional, this class will help you see the bigger picture, challenge you intellectually, and make you proud of being part of code enforcement.

Inspecting residential and commercial properties is the bread and butter of Code Enforcement.  In this class, we will discuss how to identify, investigate, and remediate violations, including structural integrity, health and safety, sanitation, and exterior conditions, to ensure compliance with local ordinances and ICC International Property Maintenance Codes. Key topics include identifying substandard housing, enforcing minimum life safety standards, abatement procedures, and proper documentation to gain compliance.

Bla bla bla

Code enforcement officers' engagement with the current Building Code is limited.  This is because we rarely go to active construction sites.  More often we investigate structures built ten, fifty, sometimes hundred years ago, so our job is to know what was legal at that time.  In this class, we will discuss the four important areas in which we engage with the current Code.  We will also learn how to research older construction and zoning laws so we can identify and enforce violations in pre-existing buildings.