Table of Contents - Unified Government of Wyandotte County ...

Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas2012 Amended and 2013 Operating BudgetDivision OverviewCode Enforcement DivisionDivision Overview:The Code Enforcement Division helps to educate the public with regard to minimum housingstandards, property maintenance standards for both residential and commercial buildings, andthe regulations for zoning uses. In addition, the Code Enforcement Division is charged with theenforcement of these standards. In an effort to educate and enforce these ordinances, the CodeEnforcement Division often partners with many other inspection and enforcement divisionswithin the Unified Government in an attempt to ensure that the citizens of Kansas City, Kansaslive in a safe and healthy environment. Code Enforcement also partners and works with variousneighborhood groups and neighborhood business revitalization organizations to help developpriorities for their neighborhoods and the community, to resolve neighborhood issues by abatingcrime inducing blight, and to educate the public about the resources available and servicesprovided by the Unified Government.Important Issues: Continue efforts to maintain levels of service with reduced staffing in the Code EnforcementDivision. The neglect and deterioration of neighborhoods has been on the increase, mainlydue to issues associated with increased abandoned and foreclosed properties. The reduction of resources in Public Works, both equipment and manpower, createdlimitations on abatement needs and requests. With more staff reallocated to thesepositions, Code Enforcement has resumed abatements and is now referring non-complianceissues to Public Works for completion. Once the appropriate legal and administrativeprocess have been completed, Public Works assists with the labor and equipment to getissues resolved in a more timely and efficient manner. In the past, such concerns may havenever been addressed or it took years to accomplish. A continued big concern and a drain on resources are abandoned homes. Due to theincreased rate of foreclosures this concern continues to grow. Staff has been, and willcontinue to meet with a group of community partners as we try to find better ways to addressabandoned and nuisance properties.New Initiatives/Goals: The 2009 International Property Maintenance Code has been adopted. Staff members arenow finishing the training process on new codes and are working on ideas to educate thegeneral public with regard to the code changes. The Division is still seeking a means to assist with efforts to address illegal dumping. Theeffort currently involves research and documentation of the problem along with the compilingof current resources. The effort to combat the issue will include public education, staff toaddress the illegal dumping and the possible need of new regulations and stricter penaltiesfor violators. The Division will continue to strive to fill Inspector positions, allowing for a more thoroughand comprehensive education through enforcement in an effort to better serve thecommunity’s needs for cleaner, safer, and healthier neighborhoods. This would also enablethe Inspector Supervisors to quickly respond to high attention situations and to assist theinspectors with particularly challenging issues. The Division will be working with the Administrator’s Office through Special Meetings in aneffort to improve the Division’s resources and effectiveness.193