Stabilizing Communities and Property Values Through Code Enforcement

On the Neighborhood Levelr
More and more neighborhoods across the country are organizing to protect what is typically a person’s largest investment – their home. One way to protect the investment made in real estate is to make certain rules or guidelines concerning the upkeep of surrounding properties. Neighborhoods do this through the Home Owners Association or HOA.

Neighborhood guidelines may stipulate anything from regular lawn care to upkeep of the home’s exterior surfaces along with any number of items which could potentially detract from the neighborhood’s appearance. Appearance translates directly into property value. But cities and towns also have an interest in seeing that properties are adequately maintained, not only for financial reasons, but also for reasons of public safety.

On the Community Levelr
Where an HOA sets high standards, local government may not need to exert authority beyond basic safety guidelines. But what about community areas where property owners are less motivated to voluntarily set and meet appropriate standards? Rental properties, commercial properties, low-income neighborhoods or vacant properties need some sort of voice for the common good. Local government uses its voice in the form of code enforcement.

Code Enforcement to Achieve Multiple Goalsr
Municipalities can establish appropriate standards for responsible property ownership. All properties should be subject to safety inspections, for example. But, used wisely, code enforcement can be helpful in achieving other community goals such as halting and reversing urban blight, preventing property value downturns and promoting public welfare. These outcomes are positives for everyone, including local government who will definitely benefit from a more stable tax base.

Do More With Less Through Softwarer
With the revenue shortfalls of major U.S. cities making headlines it is no secret that government dollars are a precious commodity. Those dollars need to be used judiciously. That is why carefully crafted codes are important. Government should only impose regulations it is willing and able to actually enforce. If the task is too big for government, partnering with neighborhood and civic organizations can help to bridge the gap.

Meanwhile, local authorities need to make their efforts toward code enforcement really count. Since hiring more code enforcement officers is usually not in the budget, finding a way to make the officers available more productive becomes job #1. In this case, supplying officers with code enforcement software can increase the impact of the force on hand. When the software can interface with citizen apps for reporting, things really take off. Companies like Comcate specialize in tools to help local communities. They make code enforcement software and citizen apps that work together to strengthen property values, community appeal and all-around safety.