HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-01-14 Residential NeighborhoodsRESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS JULY 1, 2014 5:00 P.M.
Committee Members Present: Karen White, Tim Scott, Henry Davis (AB), Gavin Ferlic (AB)
Citizen Members Present: Jack Smith (XAB)
Other Council Present: Valerie Schey (AB), Dr. Fred Ferlic, Dr. David Varner (AB),
Oliver Davis (AB), Derek Dieter (AB)
Others Present: Tasha Outlaw, Cristal Brisco, Shubhada Kambli,
Kathy Cekanski - Farrand, John Voorde
Agenda: 1. Residential Neighborhood Committee — Goals & Objectives
2. Regulations & Enforcement — Cristal Brisco
3. Quality of Life — Shubhada Kambli
(2 attachments)
1. Quality of Life ordinances— brief historical review
2. Quality of Life summary implementation 2006 & 2007
Councilmember Karen White, Chair of the Residential Neighborhoods Committee began the scheduled
"update" meeting promptly at 5:00 P.M. Committee members attending were Karen White and Tim
Scott. Henry Davis and Gavin Ferlic were absent. Councilman Fred Ferlic was present as well. Others
present were City Attorney Cristal Brisco, Deputy City Attorney Tasha Outlaw, Director of Code
Enforcement Shubhada Kambli and Council Attorney Kathy Cekanski - Farrand.
Karen's introductory remarks focused on her belief that neighborhoods are the heart of the City. She
reiterated quality of life issues in neighborhoods would be her continuing emphasis.
Tim Scott recounted his tenure as Residential Neighborhood Chair during which the focus was on vacant
and abandoned housing, chronic nuisance properties, and crime and safety issues. These continue to be
priorities as well as an initiative termed "light up South Bend." Working with the City administration,
AEP and neighborhood residents as part of a "back to basics" effort, Tim & Karen have been able to
devise a plan to increase the number of streetlights in residential neighborhoods. Specifically, a pilot
program in two neighborhoods was initiated with measurable success. In the LaSalle Park area 44 new
streetlights were installed. In the Keller Park area 26 new lights were placed. A key part of the program
moving ahead was the creation of a lumen policy by Director of Public Works.
Cristal Brisco said 844 lawsuits been filed from May of 2013 thru the end of the year. During the first
three months of 2014 over 1,000 demand letters were sent and 2013 lawsuits were filed.
Tim Scott asked of data was available to determine a return on investment using the Kryder firm. He
went on to say the city collection effort be undertaken with the highest professionalism. Word needs to
get out that while the City is serious about pursuing bad debts, compassion and professionalism needs
to be shown to the debtors.
Dr. Fred Ferlic reminded everyone about the persistent difficulty in finding absentee owners. Cristal said
the Kryder firm can track owners better than the City.
Further discussion concerning the pursuit of old claims or judgments followed. Cristal said a policy of
actively going after claims as old as 10 years was being followed. Tim wondered if data detailing the
total number of outstanding claims and the dollar value of these claims was available. Cristal said she
was working on developing such a report.
Moving on to an update from Shubhada Kambli, Director of Code Enforcement, and Karen said the
Council wanted information on mowing, technology, man - power, curbs & sidewalks, clean -up efforts
and speeding.
Shubhada reported 520 vacant & abandoned properties have been addressed either by demolition or
repair. Thirty nine hundred citations for weeds or grass were issued with a 57% compliance rate. This
was accomplished with 8 full -time and one part-time inspector.
Responding to a question about staff training, she said 10 I -Pads were purchased for field inspectors
who are now being trained on the devices.
Shubhada also spoke to quicker response or turn - around time on complaints and citations having
lowered compliance time to between 2 and 5 days.
Tim Scott asked if Neighborhood Code Enforcement (NCE) could be measured for effectiveness or
efficiency as is done in the private sector. In other words where is the Department now, where is it
going and how long will it take to get there?
Shubhada said there has been and continues to be progress in NCE operations; but it was difficult to put
a number on the efforts.
Tim urged that going into the budget process for 2015, cost benefit numbers would help justify NCE
resource requests.
Karen summed up the meeting saying she was going to solicit input from neighborhood organizations,
asking them for four things needing attention. The groups would then be invited to upcoming budgets
sessions for input. She ended saying she wanted a cooperative working relationship with the
Administration.
Karen adjourned the meeting at 5:52 P.M.
Respe fully Submitted,
Q A.Gyt.
Karen White, Chairperson
Residential Neighborhoods Committee
Memorandum
Date: June 25, 2014
To: Council Member Karen L. White
From: Kathleen Cekanski Farrand, Council Attorney
Re: Quality of Life Ordinances —Brief Historical Review
Pursuant to your request, I offer the following update. I have checked my files going back to
2007 and have located several documents on this topic. I will briefly highlight these items.
2007:
11:
2012:
• Seventeen (17) City ordinances were reviewed (chart attached which was prepared
with the data provided by Winona Hays, Ordinance Violations Clerk at that time)
which summarized implementation, enforcement, and collection of monies on
citations issued [November 15, 2007]
• It was suggested that additional information such as the # and type of citations
pending in any judicial proceeding also be tracked; the type and # of judgments
recorded as property liens; the #, type of citation, reason of any citations being voiced
be tracked; and that an update on the ongoing training of personnel in the Department
of Code Enforcement and the South Bend Police Department be provided for quality
of life ordinance regulations
• November 28, 2007 letter from you to then Mayor Stephen J. Luecke addressing
concerns focusing on "lack of either implementation and/or enforcement..." of the
seventeen (17) city ordinances addressing quality of life issues You requested data
on in -house training, materials utilized by Code and PD, SOPS addressing
enforcement, update on what software is used to monitor such citations, updates on
how implementation and enforcement can be improved (copy ofletter attached
• The Health and Public Safety Committee held a series of meetings focusing on
quality of life ordinances and in particular scrap metal, precious metals and junk
regulations; graffiti; yard parking and animal control regulations (copies of the
agendas are followed by the Health and Public Safety Committee meeting minutes
where quality of life issues were discussed — May 14, 2008, June 18, 2008, July 18,
2008, August 20, 2008, September 17, 2008; and also the Health and Public Safety
Committee Annual Report dated December 22, 2008 - all attached
• Memo dated June 6, 2012 addressing `Background Information — Qulaity of Life
Ordinance Reviews" (1 page memo attached)
Quality of Life Ordinances — Brief Historical Review Memo
June 25, 2014
Page 2
2013:
• Flow Chart utilized when the chronic problem property ordinance was being
developed
If you recall a series of flow charts regarding implementation/enforcement from other
communities were also shared by you with the City Administration over the years; and if I recall
correctly you inquired about a flow chart depicting the procedures used by South Bend. I do not
have any copies of any responses you may have received.
I just did a quick search and located material from the Cities of Knoxville which briefly
summarizes their "Complaint Flow Chart" (3 pages).
The last documents attached are from a 2012 study conducted by a firm called "Management
Partners" entitled "Code Enforcement Process Improvement Analysis" for the City of
Oakland, California. I am attaching from that 85 page report the following documents which
may also be of interest to you:
• Table of Contents (pages i -iii)
• Code Enforcement Process for Blight Complaints and Referrals flow chart
• Code Enforcement Process for Blight Complaints and Referrals for Lender Owned
properties flow chart
• Public Nuisance/Habitability Process flow chart
• Tenant/Landlord Complaint Process flow chart
• Substandard Declaration Process flow chart
Each of the above - referenced flow charts specifically indicate how the process was improved by
# and a brief summary of the change set forth in the footnotes.
I have asked Deputy City Clerk Janice Talboom to send this memo and attachments to you
electronically, and a paper copy will be placed in your SBCC mail box.
I look forward to meeting with you Karen. Thank you.
Attachments
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