Code Enforcement
Crime Prevention through Code Enforcement
On July1, 2006, the City of Roanoke, in partnership with the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney, implemented several new code enforcement initiatives that fight crime by improving the City’s ability to address nuisance properties. This program recognizes that crime increases in neighborhoods where nuisance violations occur and go unchecked. Hence, the program’s name: “Crime Prevention through Code Enforcement.” These initiatives result from the efforts of the City and the Commonwealth’s Attorney to continuously improve our code enforcement programs. Improving our programs required education on “best practices” being utilized by other communities and public engagement with our citizens. Roanoke Neighborhood Advocates (RNA) provided significant leadership in the areas of education regarding best practices and in facilitating our public engagement process. The new code enforcement initiatives described below broaden the authority of City employees to issue citations for several of the most common violations, and also improve the efficiency of our enforcement and abatement process. These new initiatives are the first in a series of changes we are implementing as we strive to better serve our citizens and strengthen our community.
New Code Enforcement Initiatives
Broader Authority to Issue Citations for Common Nuisances. A wider range of City employees are now empowered to issue notices of violations of regulations regarding weeds, trash, and inoperable motor vehicles. A project team comprised of leaders from several City departments has worked with the City Attorney’s Office to develop a Uniform Notice of Violation that will make it easier to notify property owners that the presence of weeds, trash and/or inoperable motor vehicles on their property violates City law. The City’s code enforcement inspectors began utilizing the new Uniform Notice of Violation on July 1, 2006.
 
Examples of the new Uniform Notice of Violation
More Efficient Nuisance Abatement -- Streamlined Procedures for Notifying Property Owners of Nuisance Violations and Shortened Waiting Periods prior to City Abatement. The Uniform Notice of Violation incorporates recent changes in City law. In June, City Council amended the City Code to provide for simplified procedures for notifying property owners of weeds, trash, and inoperable motor vehicle violations and shorter waiting times before the City can abate the nuisance in the event the property owner fails to do so. Property owners now have seven days to abate weeds, trash, and inoperable motor vehicle violations. This seven day period commences on the date a notice is posted on the offending property. In addition, a prior requirement that a notice be sent to the property owner via certified mail has been replaced by a requirement that the notice be sent via regular mail. (Respecting inoperable motor vehicles, if the owner of the vehicle and the owner of the property on which it is located are not the same, letters are sent via regular mail to the owner of the vehicle and the owner of the property.) Importantly, the notice period runs from the date of posting – not the date of mailing or the date of receipt of the mailing. Previously, the City sent a notice via certified mail, and the owner had seven days to abate the nuisance from the date the certified letter was claimed. If the certified letter was unclaimed (which frequently happened), the City would then send a notice via regular mail. The owner then had seven days from the date of that mailing to abate the property. As a consequence, the City frequently had to wait three weeks or longer before it could abate simple weed, trash, and inoperable motor vehicle violations. These streamlined notice procedures and shortened waiting periods will greatly enhance the City’s ability to quickly and effectively respond to weeds, trash and inoperable motor vehicles.
Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Funded by the City will Focus on Prosecuting Violations of Nuisance and Building Maintenance Codes. A critical component of this new initiative is the addition of an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney position funded by the City. This attorney’s primary duty is to prosecute nuisance, building code, and zoning code violations. The presence of a dedicated attorney working with the City to prosecute these violations does more than strengthen our ability to effectively prosecute these cases. Having a dedicated attorney sends a message to violators that the community is serious about eradicating nuisance issues.
Cross-Functional, “Code Team” will Target Challenging Problem Properties. The City and Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office have formed a cross-functional, inter-departmental/inter-agency team that will target particularly challenging properties. This “Code Team” is led by Tom Carr, the Director of Planning, building and development. The Code Team will enforce environmental, fire safety, building code, and other regulations as appropriate to combat nuisance properties that traditional code enforcement measures don’t effectively address.
Future Initiatives
The Crime Prevention through Code Enforcement initiative is a multi-phased program. Practicing the theory of “walk, then run,” our current initiatives are just the first, with more to follow. We continue to evaluate changes that may be required to be made at the State level in order to further empower our Crime Prevention through Code Enforcement program.
The Community’s Role
As we continue improving our community, we need to remember that it takes all of us to make Roanoke a beautiful, clean, and safe City in which to live, learn, work, and play. We need your help in a number of ways. First, all of us need to be good stewards of our private property and our community’s public property. Please keep your property maintained, mowed, free of trash, and clear of inoperable motor vehicles. When you’re out and about, please don’t litter. And if you see litter, pitch in and pick it up. If you see issues that require code enforcement, submit a Request for Service online at www.roanokeva.gov/request, or call the City at 853-2000 or 853-2344, and refer it to us. Together, we can make one of America’s most livable cities even better!
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