Foo - City Code Enforment guy worst than a HOA

In this economy, with the city hall considering reducing personal, the code enforcement division really want to shine. They are on a mission to create new revenue for the city and save their own arses.

1) I got fined ($50) for leaving the trash can at the side of my unit, because it could be "seen" from the street.

2) A neighbor got fine for having a cargo trailer in his driveway. Trailers can only be in the driveway if they are attached to a vehicle. Now the guy has to haul the darn thing all the time, using it or not.

3) Another neighbor got fined because the screen on his porch was broken.

4) Another guy had his car on his driveway with a flat tire. The car is perfectly fine, it's his backup car. It just doesn't get use that much and one of the tires always goes flat after a week or two. Well, the city considers that an abandoned car (even if it is in his own effing driveway). Code Enforcement came by when he was working at took his spare car to the impound lot.

And all that was just yesterday. Today they are driving around the neighborhood, cracking down on who knows what obscure city code. I heard they are even checking the labels on the power extension cords of outside Christmas lights to verify if they are certified for outdoor use. If yours is old and the label is missing, expect to be fined too.

ANd I thought my last HOA was bad because of the old guy with the ruler measuring the grass height. At least they will give a warning before fining you.

In this economy, with the city hall considering reducing personal, the code enforcement division really want to shine. They are on a mission to create new revenue for the city and save their own arses.

1) I got fined ($50) for leaving the trash can at the side of my unit, because it could be "seen" from the street.

2) A neighbor got fine for having a cargo trailer in his driveway. Trailers can only be in the driveway if they are attached to a vehicle. Now the guy has to haul the darn thing all the time, using it or not.

3) Another neighbor got fined because the screen on his porch was broken.

4) Another guy had his car on his driveway with a flat tire. The car is perfectly fine, it's his backup car. It just doesn't get use that much and one of the tires always goes flat after a week or two. Well, the city considers that an abandoned car (even if it is in his own effing driveway). Code Enforcement came by when he was working at took his spare car to the impound lot.

And all that was just yesterday. Today they are driving around the neighborhood, cracking down on who knows what obscure city code. I heard they are even checking the labels on the power extension cords of outside Christmas lights to verify if they are certified for outdoor use. If yours is old and the label is missing, expect to be fined too.

ANd I thought my last HOA was bad because of the old guy with the ruler measuring the grass height. At least they will give a warning before fining you.
How bad do you want your neighborhood to look before they start citing?

WOW! The fines seem very steep?
But they would get a homeowners attention.

How bad do you want your neighborhood to look before they start citing?

If depends... will that drive the house prices down enough so I could afford to finally buy one? :)

I'd check the laws, towing a car from private property without permission?

Man, our Code enforcement sucks!

The house next door to me burned down (well 3/4 down) 8 months ago and the rest needs to come down. The owner is slow pedaling, but the city won't fine them.

I received a code violation ONCE. Had some rocks from a rock wall I tore down sitting in my parkway until I could get a truck on Saturday to haul them away. They were going to be there 3 days. On the second day, the ciyt CEO stops by, writes me up, and leaves the notice in my mail box.

I immediately got on the phone with the city manager, to let him know his employee placed a city notice without postage in my mailbox and that I would be contaciting the Postal Service.

Seems it was raining that day and the officer did not want to get out of her car, so she chose to break the law.

Needless to say, I got a letter of apology from the city, etc. and have never received another code violation letter.

Ruben,

If possible, fight the fine.

Ruben,

If possible, fight the fine.

THX for the suggestion Luddite. I did just that and it worked. Went to the city hall and told them I was new in the neighborhood and wasn't aware of that particular city code. It was a long shot but after showing my leasing contract to the lady there, she had no option but to change the fine anyway. Apparently, the prior tenant was a repeated offender of that specific city code and that's why I got fined with no warning whatsoever. The fine was downgraded to a warning because it was my first time.

Once back home, a closer look at the trash can revealed there is indeed some history between the bin and the COE:

http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn53/RubenX_Longwood/Other/citations.jpg
(citations used to be clipped to the bins)

That's awesome Ruben, however, what the hell kind of nazi area do you live in where they give you warnings for where you place your own damned garbage cans?!?! I thought Vancouver was the "no fun City." geez.

Hmmm, I'd burn couches and dumpsters in the streets in protest!!!

Being a code enforcement inspector, I find this kinda interesting. At least we give a warning before writing tickets and I give a nice big friendly smile while I write my tickets. :D
Ernest

we have the trash cop (i think it's technically a sanitation inspector) cruising the streets every garbage night. Actually got lectured for having a storm door out there as it was too big and they wouldn't pick it up. I told her it wouldn't last the hour as the scrap collectors come by about 7:30 to pick up metals. What a dirty look I got. It was gone at 7:40.

Ruben, while it all seems so ridiculous, you have to be appreciative of the city workers who are out doing such work. I don't know when the trash was picked up but if a can is set out or not picked up by a specific time, one can be cited. This information should be on the city website. I don't know about the cars and trailers because that seems like a personal deal so I will not comment. As a property owner, I have spent so much time calling the city of LA to pick up trash the locals have illegally dumped and trying to get locks put on gates where they belong. The bulky items are picked up but nothing else done. It is rather annoying. The same goes for Long Beach, where I live. They don't do much of anything when they should be on top of it all.

All this nanny crap, from Code Enforcement AND HOA's, has gotten out of hand.

Unless something you're doing is an IMMEDIATE health or safety hazard, or an issue that isn't resolved within, say, 3 months (like a TRULY abandoned car), it really isn't anyone else's f'n business.

It's a modern anal-retentive, caucasian need to be in control of EVERYTHING.

All this nanny crap, from Code Enforcement AND HOA's, has gotten out of hand.

Unless something you're doing is an IMMEDIATE health or safety hazard, or an issue that isn't resolved within, say, 3 months (like a TRULY abandoned car), it really isn't anyone else's f'n business.

It's a modern anal-retentive, caucasian need to be in control of EVERYTHING.
+1

:thumb:

I wonder under what authority a CEO enters your property to check extension cords. Unless there is an obvious violation, they have no legal authority to go onto your property.

All this nanny crap, from Code Enforcement AND HOA's, has gotten out of hand.

Unless something you're doing is an IMMEDIATE health or safety hazard, or an issue that isn't resolved within, say, 3 months (like a TRULY abandoned car), it really isn't anyone else's f'n business.

It's a modern anal-retentive, caucasian need to be in control of EVERYTHING.


I agree...I was trying to get an occupancy permit on my home and the code inspector failed it because I had a small 2 inch hole in the floor of my outside shed..you know a place where you store the lawn mower...And I had an attic fan that the belt was broken, so the inspector tried to turn it on and only heard the sound of the motor. I was told to take it out or fix it, before he could issue me a permit.What does that have to do with my inside safety? Also a battery powered carbon monoxide detector was not good enough it had to be an A/C outlet one. But what happens when the power goes out and I am cooking on my gas stove?


I also had a ticket for not having a globe on my outside light, and I received a warning because they wanted me to repaint my shed door. Look its all about money nothing else...another way for the city to get YOUR money.

All this nanny crap, from Code Enforcement AND HOA's, has gotten out of hand.

Unless something you're doing is an IMMEDIATE health or safety hazard, or an issue that isn't resolved within, say, 3 months (like a TRULY abandoned car), it really isn't anyone else's f'n business.

It's a modern anal-retentive, caucasian need to be in control of EVERYTHING.

+1000

Sounds like Winter Springs, FL is one place I will never buy a house. Unbelievable.

All this nanny crap, from Code Enforcement AND HOA's, has gotten out of hand.

Unless something you're doing is an IMMEDIATE health or safety hazard, or an issue that isn't resolved within, say, 3 months (like a TRULY abandoned car), it really isn't anyone else's f'n business.

It's a modern anal-retentive, caucasian need to be in control of EVERYTHING.

Really?

There's no other races that enforce code or HOA chicken-crap rules?

That's pretty damned presumptious... and racist.

Really?

There's no other races that enforce code or HOA chicken-crap rules?

That's pretty damned presumptious... and racist.Uh, have you ever seen a non-caucasian HOA or Code Enforcement group???

City of Dallas. Just in the Multi-family inspection program. 35 inspectors, 3 white, 8 hispanic (including myself) and 24 black inspectors. No asian though, for some reason, I'm often confused for asian. :D

Uh, have you ever seen a non-caucasian HOA or Code Enforcement group???


Yes.

Uh, have you ever seen a non-caucasian HOA or Code Enforcement group???

Ever been to Irvine... Just saying.

Good God I'm glad I live out in the country! I catch someone poking around my property, they get to look down the barrel of my 12 gauge. My last house was in a pristine neighborhood and I hated every minute of it. Will never do that again. My nearest neighbor now is at least a mile away.

When I lived in Phoenix, someone tried to organize a 'Neighborhood Watch' group in our sub-division. It only took one meeting to realize that what he was really hoping for was some kind of "Keep the Neighborhood White" group.

It was kind of fun listening to the community cop trying to explain to him that just because people had brown skin and drove flashy cars that didn't in and of itself prove they were drug dealers, nor was it sufficient cause for them to be arrested. Laddo coughed and spluttered in outrage, then asked "Well then what can we do to get rid of them? They don't belong here!". :lol:

In my experience, HOA's are merely outlets for people with way too much time on their hands who think everyone should live exactly they way they do. Typically, the same people who make the most noise about 'freedom'.

Really?

There's no other races that enforce code or HOA chicken-crap rules?

That's pretty damned presumptious... and racist.


I live in an area where it is about 40% white and 60% black, and there happens to be not one code Inspector that is of a different ethnic background than white. In fact every single cop in the municipality happens to be white. Sure there are black people in the neighborhood groups, but it seems to be in there interest to run for city counsel and control the ward they live in. well its like that here, so how can a government not profile when it employs 100% white enforcement officers? When the community is very diverse?

I know it is not like that everywhere but where I am at it happens to be.