Box 1, Folder 2, Document 3

Box 1, Folder 2, Document 3

City of Atlanta
HOUSING CODE COMPLIANCE PROGRAM
Policy and Procedure Guide
January 1, 1967

I.. Goals:

A. Maximum efforts immediately to secure public understanding of the goals
and benefits of the Housing Code Compliance Program through use of
personal contact, pamphlets, press releases and other public information
media,

B. laximum coordination immediately with all other public agencies who will
be ailected by, and need to assist in, the conduct and results of this
program.

~C, Conservation of those residential structures in good condition te srevent
the spread of blight and decay through encouragement of maintenance efforts
and protection from those conditions such as overcrowding and unauthorized
conversion which lead to blight.

D. Rehabilitation of all substandard residential structures which are presently
unsuitable for human habitation but where improvements can be made at a
ccasonable cost to bring them up to standard and where such rehabilitation
dees not conflict with other community goals by 1971.

2. Jlerolition within the City limits of Atlanta of all residential structures



which are unfit for human habitation and where rehabilitation would be
prohibitively expensive or would otherwise conflict with other community
goals by 1971.

JU f. Review and re-evaluation beginning in 1967 on a continuing basis of those

A
rehabilitation areas which have been treated in previous years to

determine their need for possible future systematic reinitiation of

total rehabilitation effort.

Ii. Areas and Priorities:

A,

The Housing Conditions Map reflecting the survey made in 1963 hax been

brought up=to-date, In this revision, close coordination has been

developed between the Plaiming Department, the Housing Code Division

and the Director of Governmental Liaison. This has resulted in an

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proved plan for a city-wide, systematic, comprehensive Housing Cade

Compliance Program. The basic map of the revised survey indicates on

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block basis the following categories.

Conservation (Areas which principally require either no improvements
or only minor improvements with occasional rehabilitation).

intensive Conservation (those areas which because of certain factors



such as age, transition in occupancy or use, or adverse fringe

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influences, etc., require a greater amount of surveillance in orde
to forestall blight and decay. These areas will normally requir
only minor improvements and spot rehabilitation).

Rehabilitation (those areas in which the majority of structures
require rehabilitation which does not exceed 50 percent of their
value; some spot clearance is anticipated).

Clearance = Code Enforcement (predominately smaller areas where
the majority of structures should be cleared and the area rede-

veloped. It is anticipated that these areas would be cleared
through code compliance with emphasis on demolition, The only
other corrective actions to be taken are those to alleviate
hazards and to protect the health and safety of residents in the
area),

5. Clearance - Title I Urban Renewal (those areas in which the majority
of structures should be demolished, with some rehabilitation, and
where the size and cost of the contemplated action justifies the
use of Title I federal funds).

The map also shows division of the city into halves, for supervisor

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responsibility; each of these halves is sub-divided into five Sector

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ach of these Sectors is assigned to a Housing Code Inspector, as hi

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area of individual responsibility.

The map also has on it areas of various sizes outlined showing the
neighborhood designation with numbers ranging from ‘65 to '69. Tuese

areas indicate where and when an intensive program of systematic housing
code compliance is to be undertaken on a house to house basis. The

target date assigned to a particular area indicates its relative priority.
Those with a high priority have an early date; those with a lower priority,
a later date.

Priorities for the areas have been based on:

The number of compliance inspections which the Housing Code civision

Ke
.

can undertake in one year, while maintaining full city-wide coverage.
2 The relationship of rehabilitation areas to surrounding or internal

comunity activities, community facility development or Title I

Urban Renewal Projects.
General conditions in the particular area, Those with the most

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pressing rehabilitation needs will be undertaken first.

4, The long range goal of complete housing code inspection of substandard
dwellings by 1970 and compliance in all designated rehabilitation areas
by 1971.

5. An additional consideration in subsequent revisions will be the need

in the future for more treatment in areas previously covered as blight



reoccurs. This item represents the first step in the changeover from . ), foush
lhe
. i ; i528 i he
& program with a fixed completion date to one on a continuing basis, te be
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D. Proposed Community Facility Locations:
A map has been prepared which indicates the location of all proposed
community facilities and highways (exclusive of urban renewal projects)
in the City of Atlanta. The locations have been indexed and color coded
to identify them and to indicate the agency responsible for their execution.
ITI. Organization and Administration
A. Organization and Personnel for Housing Code Compliance, Department of
Buildings
1. Supervisor of Inspection Services
Z. Personnel, Housing Code Division
a. Chief Inspector (1)
b. Field Supervisors (2)
c. Housing Code Sector Inspectors (10)
d. Housing Code Inspectors General (6)

e. Housing Code Inspector II (1) (assigned to Codes
Compliance Officer)

Concentration Area Inspectors (10)

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g. Clerical Personnel (8)

Related Personnel

a. Rehabilitation Specialist (1)

b. Codes Compliance Officer (1)

Duties and Responsibilities:

l.

i)

Supervisor of Inspection Services. Overall supervision of ail

forms of code enforcement such as plumbing and building with

primary emphasis on Housing Code Enforcement, including

coordination with other Departments.

Personnel, Housing Code Division:

a. Chief Inspector

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)
(7)

Overall supervision of inspections,

field work and administration.

Coordination of relocation efforts

with Atlanta Housing Authority.

Pursuit of resolution of difficult cases.

Direct supervision of clerical personnel
Coordination with Codes Compliance Officer;
Rehabilitation Specialist.

Training program for new Housing Code Inspectors.
Coordination with other Divisions of Department of

Buildings.

b. Field Supervisors

(1)

Direct supervision of five inspectors and their sectors

comprising one-half (%) of the City.

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c.

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)
(6)

(7)

Supervision of intensive program teams and Inspectors
General when operating in their one-half (%) of the Cicy.
In-Service training for inspectors to include principles
o£ Housing Code Enforcement, selection and scheduling of
work, and standardization of requirements and acceptances,
General conduct of housing code compliance program within
their one-half (%) of the City.

Assistance in resolution of difficult cases.

Assistance in preparation of court cases when requested
by Code Compliance Officer.

Other special duties as assigned by Chief Inspector.

Housing Code Inspector ITI

(1)

Xssigned to Codes Compliance Officer to assist in preparation

of cases for Court.

Housing Code Sector Inspectors:

(1)
(2)

(3)

(4)

Conduct of Housing Code Compliance Program in their sector.
Primary respousibility for resolution of all cases and
compliants in their sectors,

Prepare cases for presentation before the Better Housing
Commission and City Attorney.

Assist in preparing court cases,

Housing Code Inspectors General

(1)

(2)

Investigate, document and prepare cases for presentation
to Court and appear as witness. at time of trial (three
inspectors and one Housing Code Inspector II assigned

for this purpose)
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Preparation of cases for "In Rem" proceedings and Demolitian

Grant Program (three inspectors assigned to these functions.

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h.

Intensive Program Housing Code Inspectors
(1) Operate as team members
(2) Conduct housing code compliance program in rehabilitation
areas according to scheduled priorities.
Clerical Personnel
(1) Process notices, letters, records and prepare periodic
reports.
(2) Receive telephone calls, prepare lists for Better Housing
Commission hearings, City Attorney hearings and Cuurt.
(3) Record minutes of Better Housing Commission meetings.
Related Personnel
(1) Rehabilitation Specialist
(a) Public relations--(promoting good maintenance and
Housing Code Enforcement),
(b) Inspection of apartment developments (30 units and up).
(2) Codes Compliance Officer
(a) Responsible for preparation and conduct (including
attendance in Court) of Housing Code Court casus with
assistance from Housing Code Inspectors and Supervisory
Personnel.
(b) Advises Housing Code Division on requirements for
prosecution of cases in court, appropriateness of

specific cases for Court action and preparation of

charges,

7 i-L-67


(c) Prepares Court calendars and reports on results of
Housing Code Court hearings.

Notices and Follow-up Action

Inspectors will use standard methods and prescribed time intervals as

a guide for their processing of cases. Written procedure is on file

in the Housing Code Division,

Coordination

1. Relocation:
Inspectors will fill out slips (on AHA standard form) to be signed
and forwarded by the Chief Inspector to the Housing Authority for
relocation assistance to the families threatened with displacement
by Housing Code Enforcement, such as placarding occupied units, when
a directive is issued to reduce the number of occupants and/or units,
when demolition is imminent, and for other reasons.

2, Community Facilities
Chief Inspector will consult map showing location of proposed and
scheduled community facilities; will determine agency responsible
for execution; and consult and coordinate with that agency to
determine exact extent and status of project and the appropriate
Housing Code Compliance Program for the areas at that time.

3. Public Housing
No Housing Code Inspections required. (Existing units 8874; under
construction 650; planned 1140).

4, Municipal Services

In conduct of the Housing Code Compliance Program, Inspectors will
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be alert ror needed improvements in municipal services and

other such problems. Need will be recorded and referred by the

Chief Inspector to the appropriate governmental egency.

Possible referral agencies are:

a, Sanitary Department

b. Construction Department

c. Traffic & Street Lights Department

d. Police Department

e. Water Department

£. Fire Department

g. Parks Department

h. Board of Education

i. County Departments of Family and Children Services

j. County Health Departments

5. Data Bank

The Housing Code Division will participate continually in furnishing

certain types of information, obtained in connection with its normal

activities, to be placed in the data bank.
Complaints
All Housing Code complaints received will be recorded on forms provided
and investigated within.one week and appropriate action initiated imme-
diately. Written procedure is on file in the Housing Code Division.
Handling Unresolved Cases
At the end of each quarter, Sector Inspectors will thoroughly review their

unresolved case files and determine what positive action should be taken,

9 L-1=67
Procedure for handling unresolved cases is on file in the Housing

Code Division,

IV. Area Housing Code Compliance Policies

A. General:

i.

Placard promptly vacant substandard units and structures
considered unfit for occupancy and cause utility services

to be discontinued.

Promptly report to the Better Housing Commission and to the
Atlanta Housing Authority Relocation Housing Office (for
relocation of families) those occupied units and structures
considered unfit for occupancy.

In order to keep abreast of changing conditions conducive to
deterioration and blight, each Inspector will endeavor to
observe his entire Sector and initiate corrective action as
needed,

It is anticipated that each Sector Inspector will process a
minimum of 20 new Housing Code major improvement cases per
calendar month, and comply an equal number per month outside
of rehabilitation areas in which teams are working. Effort
should be made where feasible to keep each Sector Inspector's
workload of uncompleted active notices to approximately 200.
All Sector Inspectors combined should comply at least 3500

units per year.

B. Conservation Areas (See Housing Map):

dw

Inspector will encourage maintenance and conservation

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verbally where early signs of blight appear but no valid

code violation exists.
Housing Code inspection to be made primarily on a complaint

basis.

Intensive Conservation Areas (See Housing Map)

Ly

Housing Code inspections to be made based on an apparent need.
Accent to be conservation rather than waiting until rehabilitation
is necessary; Inspector will give more attention to details to
discover any significant changes conducive to blight in these
areas,

Inspector will encourage maintenance and conservation verbally
where early signs of blight appear but where no valid cede
violation exists.

These areas will be closely examined for consideration as possible
future federally assisted code enforcement projects under the 1964

Housing Act.

Rehabilitation Areas (See Housing Map)

L.

These areas have been designated according to priority of need

and placed on a schedule. (See Map)

These areas will be intensively covered house by house by

inspectors of an intensive program team (2 - 4 men).

Conduct of Compliance Program

a. All Housing units in rehabilitation areas will be inspected
and necessary compliance notices issued or statement issued

that property is in satisfactory condition.
ty

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b. It is anticipated that three large areas (approximately
7000 units) .- and three small areas (approximately
1900 units) will be covered this year (approximate
total 8900). Any cases remaining unresolved at the end
of this year will be assigned to Sector Inspector ror
resolution.

e. It is anticipated that each Team Inspector will make
approximately 7 new inspections or 7 first follow-up
inspections per day.

These areas will be closely examined for consideration as possible

future federally assisted code enforcement projects under the 1964

Housing Act.

Clearance - Code Enforcement Areas (See Housing Map)

Enforce Code only to:

a. Placard where warranted and seek demolition,

b. Correct hazards.

ec. Reduce overcrowding.

d. Vacate unfit units.

e, Clean up premises.

Discourage rehabilitation action in industrially zoned areas,
especially in marginal cases.

Seek maximum coordination with other divisions of Building
Department to discourage improvements other than to correct

hazards of any housing units and structures in areas.

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hey

Clearance - Title I Urban Renewal
1. Proposed and Planning Stage Projects (See Housing Map):

Enforce Code only to:

a. Placard where warranted and seek demolition.

b. Correct hazards.

c. Reduce overcrowding.

d. Vacate unfit units.

e. Clean up premises.

2. Urban Renewal Projects in Execution (See Housing Map):

a. Issue no notices unless instructed otherwise by Chier
Inspector (usually upon request of Atlanta Housing
Authority).

Community Facility Locations, including Public Housing (See
Community Facility Map):
1. Scheduled for construction or property being acquired

a. Chief Inspector will consult map showing location of
proposed and scheduled community facilities; will
determine agency responsible for execution; and
consult sad dbanatnate with that agency to determine
exact extent and status of project and the appropriate
Housing Code Compliance Program for the areas at that
time.

b. Normally Inspector will issue no notices unless instructed

otherwise by Chief Inspector.

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2. Planned - construction anticipated but not scheduled

a. Chief Inspector will consult map showing location of
proposed and scheduled community facilities; will
determine agency responsible for execution; and
consult and coordinate with that agency to determine
exact extent and status of project and the appropriate
Housing Code Compliance Program for the areas at that
time.

b. Normal action will be to enforce Code only to:
(1) Placard where warranted and seek demolition.
(2) Correct hazards,
(3) Reduce overcrowding.
(4) Vacate unfit units.

(5) Clean up premises.

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