09-05-18 Personnel and Finance (#6)

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CITY OF SOUTH BEND I OFFICE OF THE CLERK home program with penalties and fines in pursuit of improving housing stock quality. We are trying to make that program self-sustaining as we hope it provides an opportunity to identify owners of real units in the City. Committeemember John Voorde asked, How many pickup trucks are there? Ms. Skibins replied, Total, I would have to look into that sir. I am not sure off the top of my head. Committeemember Regina Williams-Preston stated,I would like to learn more about your process to increase special assessment processing for civil penalties. Can you say more about what that is? Ms. Skibins replied, So, right now we do it when we have the time available with our staff, quite honestly. If we get the full-time position, the Financial Specialist Three (III), one (1) of the dedicated responsibilities would be collections and special assessments. Committeemember Williams-Preston asked, Can you define special assessments? Marlaina Johns, Operations Analyst for the Department of Code Enforcement with offices located on the 13th floor of the County-City Building, replied, A special assessment is if a property owner owes the Department of Code Enforcement money, typically for demolitions or for civil penalties that are assessed at a hearing, if we haven't collected that via invoice we can put a special assessment on a property through taxes. Then if they don't pay through the taxes, eventually then maybe it would go to tax sale in hope we get an owner who is a little more responsive. Committeemember Williams-Preston stated, I have a lot of concerns about that process. I would really like to watch that carefully because I have seen people, and what I love about what you are presenting is you've really done a lot in terms of trying to, I think,weed out the people who really have needs versus the people who are just not fixing them up. That is good. I like that I'm hearing that. So the balance of that is we have to recognize that on the other side as well. So if we are giving special assessments and putting it on their taxes,and I've heard that you're at Code hearings listening to people's stories, and that is really good, but I just want to underscore the importance of making sure that we are not dispossessing poor people and people of color disproportionately of homes that they simply just need help with. Ms. Johns replied,No,it really is the people. It's the businesses that are out of town,the LLCs and the Land Trusts that we just cannot get anybody to help. Ms. Skibins stated, It's not typically owner-occupied. Committeemember Williams-Preston stated, It's usually not owner-occupied but often times it's because those homes are in such disrepair that people can't live in them. I've done a lot of research on what happened during the 1,000 houses in 1,000 days. So, I trust that the Administration has made changes and is doing a better job of weeding out who is doing what but traditionally, again, I'm just underscoring it to make sure with the transition and the new leadership, congratulations by the way. Thank you. Ron O'Connor, Fiscal Officer for the Department of Code Enforcement with offices located on the 13t1 floor of the County-City Building, stated, I will present to you just a couple snapshots of EXCELLENCE I ACCOUNTABILITY I INNOVATION I INCLUSION I EMPOWERMENT 455 County-City Building 1227 W.Jefferson Bvld I South Bend,Indiana 466011 p 574.235.92211f 574.235.91731 TTD 574.235.5567 I www.southbendin.gov 4