ACTION REQUESTED:
Title
Communication from the City Manager and Community Development Director with a Request to ADOPT an ORDINANCE Amending the City of Peoria 2021 REVISED ANNUAL BUDGET for an Additional $90,000.00 for the Community Development Department PRIVATE PROPERTY WORK ORDER BUDGET.
Body
BACKGROUND: The Community Development Department is responsible for abating code violations on private property. The process listed below details what happens when a Code Enforcement Inspector finds an environmental code violation on an occupied property and a vacant property. Environmental violations include cutting tall grass and weeds, cleaning up debris and illegal, addressing illegally dumped items, removing dangerous trees, etc.
Occupied Property - The inspector posts an ABATE notice giving the property owner 5 days to correct the code violations. If the property is a repeat offender, a citation may be issued. If the property owner does not correct the issue after five days, a work order is issued to a City contractor to correct the issue and the private property owner is billed for the work plus an administrative fee.
Vacant Property - As the property is vacant, a work order is issued to a City contractor to correct the issue and the private property owner is billed for the work plus an administrative fee. If the property is a repeat offender, a citation may be issued.
As part of the 2020/2021 Budget, the Department budgeted $457,710 to complete this work. As of September 15th, only $20,000 remains in the budget to complete this work for the rest of 2021.
The amount of money spent is a direct reflection of how hard the Code Enforcement Staff has worked to remove blight from the City of Peoria, protect property values, and improve the quality of life of our neighborhoods. The Code Enforcement Department currently has 5 full time Code Enforcement Inspectors and 5 temporary Code Enforcement Aides.
The table below illustrates the number of work orders performed for a year-to-year comparison.
|
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
|
4703 |
4394 |
2311 |
4375 |
5494 |
5114 |
5415 |
5855 |
3446 |
In 2021, we have issued about 4,900 work orders. Based on this number, it is estimated that we will issue about 6,200 total work orders this year making 2021 the most productive year for Code Enforcement staff relative to work orders.
In 2020, there was a sharp decrease in the amount of work orders issued as a direct result of budget reductions that led to the elimination of seasonal temporary staff positions and reductions in full time employee staffing levels.
Due to uncertain budget projections in 2020, staff made an effort to reduce spending as much as possible. Of the 2020 budget, $84,000 was not spent. This saving measure contributed to the smaller number of work orders issued and has resulted in a need for more substantial clean up effort and work orders in 2021.
To continue to deliver service to the residents of Peoria, the budget needs an additional $90,000 for 2021. All efforts are made to recoup some of these funds by charging property owners and utilizing the collection process.
If additional funds are not approved, Code Enforcement staff will not be able to issue work orders on private property for the remaining part of 2021. This will not stop enforcement action and the Department will continue to address issues and issue citations, but Code Enforcement staff will not have the ability to correct the violation if the property owner refuses.
The Code Enforcement Division continues to explore ways to use process improvement and innovative solutions to reduce blight in our community. The process improvement efforts of the last four years have directly resulted in the ability of staff to address more private property code violations than ever before. In addition, the Division uses a strategy of Engagement and Education first and Enforcement is always the last tool utilized for those who refuse to abide by the Codes and respect our community.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: An additional $90,000 will be spent on work orders to remediate code violations on private property owners.
NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNS: Neighborhoods strongly support Code Enforcement activities that result in reduced blight, increased public safety, and higher property values.
IMPACT IF APPROVED: Code Enforcement will continue to issue work orders to correct code violations at private properties.
IMPACT IF DENIED: Code Enforcement will not issue work orders to correct code violations at private properties. Violations will result in citations and fines, but the City will not have the ability to correct the violations
ALTERNATIVES: NA
EEO CERTIFICATION NUMBER: NA
WHICH OF THE GOALS IDENTIFIED IN THE COUNCIL’S 2017 - 2032 STRATEGIC PLAN DOES THIS RECOMMENDATION ADVANCE?
1. Beautiful Peoria
2. Grow Peoria
3. Safe Peoria
WHICH CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR(S) FROM THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DOES THIS RECOMMENDATION IMPLEMENT?
1. Reinvest in neighborhoods.
2. Grow employers and jobs.
3. Have an efficient government.
DEPARTMENT: Community Development