Dublin Core
Title
Box 1, Folder 1, Document 11
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
{)
S,
|
CITY OF ATLANTA
OFFICE OF INSPECTOR OF BUILDINGS
800 CITY HALL ;
TEL. JA. 2-4463 EXT. 321
ATLANTA, GEORGIA
Housing Code Enforcement
Report of Accomplishment and Needs
December 15, 1964
PROGRAM
(a) Sourt. A special Housing Court is held each Thursday and the number of
eases heard depends on ability of available personnel to prepare and process
cases. At the end of November, 1964, 335 Housing Code Cases have been tried in
Municipal Court with total fines ef $7,979 imposed by the court.
(b) Planned Program. A planned systematic Housing Code enforcement program
which provides for complete coverage and inspection of all substandard dwellings
in the city by the end of 1969 has been developed in conjunction with the Planning
Department. This program consists of an up-to-date Housing Conditions Map with
priorities established for proposed areas of enforcement and a Policy and Procedure
Guide. The maps and program have been approved by the Urban Renewal Committee of
the Beard of Aldermen and referred to the Finance Committee for consideration of
additional personnel expenditure involved. A planned systematic program for Housing
Code enforcement is essential if the City is to meet Federal requirements for re-
certification of Atlanta's Workable Program for Urban Renewal in March, 1965.
(ce) Compliance. Attached herewith is a report reflecting the number of buildings
inspected, units involved, buildings repaired, etc., including the number of permits
issued for alterations and repairs to residential buildings and the number of permits
iecsued for the demolition of residential units. The report is complete through November,
1964. Projected totals are shown for the entire year of 1964,
In addition to the above report overcrowding has been eliminated in 72 unite.
i i en eae
oe
C es
——=a_
Housing Code eteruinant - Dec. 15, 1964 Page 2.
(4) Generel Results. Results of the Housing Code enforcement effort te date have
proven the need for stronger Code provisions. Several amendments to the Housing
Cede have recently been adopted to clarify and strengthen the code. The most
important of these are:
Section 14.12. Mo building, plumbing, electrical or gas or other
permit for an addition, alteration or repair of existing substandard
dwelling unit shall be issued until such time as an inspection of the
property has been made to determine the feasibility of rehabilitation
of such dwelling unit or unite.
Section 14.13. Utility services shall not be provided to any existing
vacant substandard dwelling unit or any substandard dvellig unit
becoming vacant until such dwelling unit has been inspected and
brought into compliance with this code and a valid certificate of
occupancy has been issued.
From the adoption of these amendments on June 15, 1964, through November, 1964,
the Chief Electrical Inspector has discontinued electrical service in 173 vacant,
substandard dwelling units; such service will not be restored until the structures
have been rehabilitated to meet the requirements of the Housing Code.
NEEDS.
(a) Inspectors. in order to inspect all substandard dwellings within the city by
1970, 5 additional housing inspectors will be required as provided for in the
planned systematic program of Housing Code enforcement. The budget request for
1965 includes a request for the aforementioned additional inspectors and one
elerical position. Additional technical inspectors as requested in the 1965 budget
are urgently needed,
(b) Asgistance from other Departments. If the improvement of living conditions and
general environment throughout the blighted areas of the city is to be accomplished
a
Aes eg
wed
——=a_
Housing Code Enforcement - Dec. 15, 1964 Page 3.
through Housing Code enforcement, it is necessary that definite and continued
assistance be obtained from other departments by prompt reporting of obvious
violations to the Building Department and prompt action upon conditions referred
to them as being within their jurisdiction. Particular assistance will be required
from the Sanitary Department so far as clean-up of premises and removal of junk
automobiles is concerned and from the Construction Department for street and
sidewalk improvements including the paving of some unpaved streets in older areas
of the city. The Planning Department can assist materially in recording accurately
the number and general condition of housing in areas warked for concentrated Housing
Code enforcement effort and by scheduling the worst of the areas for appropriate
treatment as Urban Renewal projects.
(e) egisletion. Severel conferences have been hold with the City Attorney who is
preparing legislation whereby the city can proceed “In Rem” against substandard
property. This will permit the city to proceed against the premises or building and
will eliminate difficulties with out-of-town owners, estates, incompetents, etc.,
which have ceused concern.
We are hopeful that additional legislation can be enacted to require
demolition of houses which have been boarded up and are vacant. Under existing laws
the current practice of permitting houses to be boarded up and remain has not been
@ satisfactory solution.
(4) The Courts can assist the program by:
1. Promptly disposing of a11 cases without delays and postponemente.
2. By continuing appropriate fines when convictions for violations have
been attained.
3. By imposing reasonable fines when a violator is convicted of an
offense even though a correction may have been made prior te court
action.
o)
A
DK
Housing Code Enforcement = Dec. 15, 1964 Page 4.
(e) Public Understanding of the program is most important and is a field in which
the Citizens Advisory Committee can be extremely helpful. Participation by all news
media, civic groups and business organizations should be utilized to point up and
rl emphasize the problem and to secure maximum cooperation from the public.
S,
|
CITY OF ATLANTA
OFFICE OF INSPECTOR OF BUILDINGS
800 CITY HALL ;
TEL. JA. 2-4463 EXT. 321
ATLANTA, GEORGIA
Housing Code Enforcement
Report of Accomplishment and Needs
December 15, 1964
PROGRAM
(a) Sourt. A special Housing Court is held each Thursday and the number of
eases heard depends on ability of available personnel to prepare and process
cases. At the end of November, 1964, 335 Housing Code Cases have been tried in
Municipal Court with total fines ef $7,979 imposed by the court.
(b) Planned Program. A planned systematic Housing Code enforcement program
which provides for complete coverage and inspection of all substandard dwellings
in the city by the end of 1969 has been developed in conjunction with the Planning
Department. This program consists of an up-to-date Housing Conditions Map with
priorities established for proposed areas of enforcement and a Policy and Procedure
Guide. The maps and program have been approved by the Urban Renewal Committee of
the Beard of Aldermen and referred to the Finance Committee for consideration of
additional personnel expenditure involved. A planned systematic program for Housing
Code enforcement is essential if the City is to meet Federal requirements for re-
certification of Atlanta's Workable Program for Urban Renewal in March, 1965.
(ce) Compliance. Attached herewith is a report reflecting the number of buildings
inspected, units involved, buildings repaired, etc., including the number of permits
issued for alterations and repairs to residential buildings and the number of permits
iecsued for the demolition of residential units. The report is complete through November,
1964. Projected totals are shown for the entire year of 1964,
In addition to the above report overcrowding has been eliminated in 72 unite.
i i en eae
oe
C es
——=a_
Housing Code eteruinant - Dec. 15, 1964 Page 2.
(4) Generel Results. Results of the Housing Code enforcement effort te date have
proven the need for stronger Code provisions. Several amendments to the Housing
Cede have recently been adopted to clarify and strengthen the code. The most
important of these are:
Section 14.12. Mo building, plumbing, electrical or gas or other
permit for an addition, alteration or repair of existing substandard
dwelling unit shall be issued until such time as an inspection of the
property has been made to determine the feasibility of rehabilitation
of such dwelling unit or unite.
Section 14.13. Utility services shall not be provided to any existing
vacant substandard dwelling unit or any substandard dvellig unit
becoming vacant until such dwelling unit has been inspected and
brought into compliance with this code and a valid certificate of
occupancy has been issued.
From the adoption of these amendments on June 15, 1964, through November, 1964,
the Chief Electrical Inspector has discontinued electrical service in 173 vacant,
substandard dwelling units; such service will not be restored until the structures
have been rehabilitated to meet the requirements of the Housing Code.
NEEDS.
(a) Inspectors. in order to inspect all substandard dwellings within the city by
1970, 5 additional housing inspectors will be required as provided for in the
planned systematic program of Housing Code enforcement. The budget request for
1965 includes a request for the aforementioned additional inspectors and one
elerical position. Additional technical inspectors as requested in the 1965 budget
are urgently needed,
(b) Asgistance from other Departments. If the improvement of living conditions and
general environment throughout the blighted areas of the city is to be accomplished
a
Aes eg
wed
——=a_
Housing Code Enforcement - Dec. 15, 1964 Page 3.
through Housing Code enforcement, it is necessary that definite and continued
assistance be obtained from other departments by prompt reporting of obvious
violations to the Building Department and prompt action upon conditions referred
to them as being within their jurisdiction. Particular assistance will be required
from the Sanitary Department so far as clean-up of premises and removal of junk
automobiles is concerned and from the Construction Department for street and
sidewalk improvements including the paving of some unpaved streets in older areas
of the city. The Planning Department can assist materially in recording accurately
the number and general condition of housing in areas warked for concentrated Housing
Code enforcement effort and by scheduling the worst of the areas for appropriate
treatment as Urban Renewal projects.
(e) egisletion. Severel conferences have been hold with the City Attorney who is
preparing legislation whereby the city can proceed “In Rem” against substandard
property. This will permit the city to proceed against the premises or building and
will eliminate difficulties with out-of-town owners, estates, incompetents, etc.,
which have ceused concern.
We are hopeful that additional legislation can be enacted to require
demolition of houses which have been boarded up and are vacant. Under existing laws
the current practice of permitting houses to be boarded up and remain has not been
@ satisfactory solution.
(4) The Courts can assist the program by:
1. Promptly disposing of a11 cases without delays and postponemente.
2. By continuing appropriate fines when convictions for violations have
been attained.
3. By imposing reasonable fines when a violator is convicted of an
offense even though a correction may have been made prior te court
action.
o)
A
DK
Housing Code Enforcement = Dec. 15, 1964 Page 4.
(e) Public Understanding of the program is most important and is a field in which
the Citizens Advisory Committee can be extremely helpful. Participation by all news
media, civic groups and business organizations should be utilized to point up and
rl emphasize the problem and to secure maximum cooperation from the public.
Comments