10-04-2011 CC RPT 10 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

The Task Force has made a substantial effort to gather information from residents and businesses, the Mayor, the City Council, the City Manager, and City staff, and to identify and prioritize the properties presenting the most serious quality of life issues in the City. Such properties have been identified in terms of geographically defined area(s) with chronic and multiple quality of life problems (i.e., "focus neighborhoods "); single, problematic properties (i.e., the "worst of the worst "); and specific problems occurring in multiple locations throughout the city. The vast majority of the problem properties are brought to the City's attention by negatively affected neighbors and business owners. B. Current Status of Program and Program Results for November 2010 — September 2011 As explained in the prior report, the Task Force continues to examine specific problem properties and neighborhoods to determine the most effective investigative approach and enforcement tool(s). 1. Transitional Housing Task Force One primary focus of the Neighborhood Livability Program's efforts has been the Transitional Housing Task Force. This effort was originally developed to address the sudden increase in public complaints regarding so- called "group homes." As cases were investigated, it became clear the common thread to the complaints was the existence of serious, substandard housing conditions at these locations. Accordingly, investigation procedures and enforcement actions were developed and implemented to address these problems. Approximately 4 cases have been resolved during this reporting period. Of these, over half of the properties were voluntarily brought into compliance by the owners after issuance of the notice of violation. The City will be re- inspecting these properties for compliance with the Hearing Officer's orders. 2. Receiverships /Judicial Foreclosures The City has initiated 30 receivership and judicial foreclosure actions against neglected properties that have been declared continuous public nuisances. Of these, 10 court actions are currently pending in the Riverside County Superior Court. 3. Nuisance /Drug Abatement Actions The City has initiated 4 actions to abate continuous nuisance or drug related activities. Two of these court actions have resulted in permanent injunctions and two cases are currently pending in the Riverside County Superior Court. 4. Vacant Problem Properties The Neglected Property Abatement ( "NPA ") Team was created in October of 2008 to address the negative secondary affects (e.g., neighborhood blight, transient activity, etc.) associated with open and vacant properties. Also, the City adopted Riverside Municipal Code Chapter 6.11, which declares substandard properties left vacant in excess of one hundred and eighty days and that are not the subject of an active building permit for repair, a continuous public nuisance. Through a combination of code enforcement actions (e.g., warning notices, citations, etc.), the NPA team has achieved 97% voluntary compliance, prior to having to declare properties permanent public nuisances. During this reporting period, 34 problem, vacant properties were i