Citrus Heights Municipal Code Div. 5 Code Enforcement Fees

Footnotes:

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Cross reference— Buildings and building regulations, ch. 18.

The following constitute the fees payable to the city by the owner of a building or property covered by this article:

(1) Reinspection fee. Following issuance of a notice to abate for a violation of this article, upon reinspection of a building or property to determine whether corrective action has been satisfactorily completed, and upon a determination that corrective action has been successfully completed by the time of such reinspection, there shall be a reinspection fee levied against the owner in an amount established by resolution of the city council. There shall be no inspection fee charged for an inspection caused by any service request if no violation is discovered.

(2) Notice to abate fee. Where a violation continues to exist following the first reinspection as provided in subsection (1) of this section, there shall be a fee levied against the owner in an amount established by resolution of the city council. Reinspections occurring thereafter to determine whether corrective action has been satisfactorily completed shall be charged to the owner in the amount of the reinspection fee described in this subsection for each subsequent inspection required to determine compliance with this article.

(3) Building permit fee. Where issuance of a building permit is required under the building code in order to complete work required by a notice to abate, which has been issued under this article, such permit shall be obtained from the director, and the fee therefor shall be paid to the director in the same amount as would be applicable under the current fee schedule for city building permits.

(4) Building permit surcharge. Where a building permit is required under the building code to complete work required by a notice to abate issued under this article, there shall be imposed, in addition to the building permit fee, a building permit surcharge in an amount established by resolution of the city council.

(5) Hourly rate. Where the director finds that additional costs of enforcement are not otherwise recovered by the fees levied by this article in association with a building or property found to constitute a violation, the additional cost of enforcement shall be levied at the hourly rate estab-lished by resolution of the city council, rounded to the nearest hour for each city official involved.

(6) Contract administrative fee. For all private contracts entered into by the director for work authorized under this article, in addition to the contract price, there shall also be authorized as an additional cost of enforcement charged to the owner 15 percent of the contract price as a contract administrative fee.

(7) Small claims collection fee. For any amounts due and unpaid, and which are referred to the city finance manager for collection under this article, a fee in an amount established by resolution of the city council shall be levied to cover costs of small claims court filing and administration.

(8) Appeal fee. The fee for all appeals taken under this article shall be in an amount established by resolution of the city council.

(9) Late fee. If a fee has not been received by the date upon which it is due under this article, there shall be imposed a late fee of 25 percent per annum of the fee.

(10) Notice fee. The owner may be charged for the city's postage or mileage costs for sending or posting notices required to be given pursuant to this article.

(Ord. No. 2002-04, § 2(16B.15.01), 5-8-2002)

(a) It is imperative to establish enforceable minimum standards for residential buildings, to provide a program for enforcing these standards which is self-supporting, and to provide for fair housing services, including but not limited to mediation services with respect to residential rental properties within the city.

(b) Service request initiated enforcement actions are sufficient to provide the essential level of abatement of substandard housing conditions needed by this community.

(c) Violators of the state housing law must bear the largest feasible share of the cost of housing code enforcement.

(d) Rental property owners derive a substantial benefit from a housing code enforcement program, fair housing services, and the city's mediation program, and they should therefore contribute to a portion of program costs.

(e) Residents of rental property also benefit from a housing code enforcement program, fair housing services, and the city's mediation program, and they should therefore contribute to program costs indirectly through the cost of renting such properties.

(f) It is necessary to establish an operating fund, which is separate from the city's general fund, for the purpose of implementing a housing code enforcement program, fair housing services, and the city's mediation program and operating such programs and services on an ongoing basis. It is necessary that this source of funds be predictable and reliable for the efficient and continued operation of such a program. The imposition of a housing stock conversation fee is an appropriate means to accomplish this purpose.

(g) It is recognized that the majority of rental housing property owners comply with the state housing law and other applicable laws and city ordinances and that only a relatively small percentage violate these laws. And while it is the intent of this section that this group of violators should pay for as much of the cost of a housing code enforcement program as is practical and feasible, it is also recognized that the collection of enforcement fees and penalties from violators can be a protracted and costly process, and that reliance thereupon as the sole source to fund such a program is inherently speculative and unrealistic. Therefore, while the primary source of revenue for this housing code enforcement program is intended to come from the collection of enforcement fees and penalties from violators, in their absence, the housing stock conservation fee is intended to make up program cost deficiencies. The reliance of such a program on the city's general fund for its costs of operation shall be minimized to the greatest extent possible.

(Ord. No. 2002-04, § 2(16B.15.02), 5-8-2002)

There is hereby established, levied, and imposed on all owners of residential rental housing a fee in the amount of $8.50 per rental dwelling unit. The fee, which may be adjusted by resolution of the city council, is due and payable on or before January 1 of each year. The owner of residential housing shall not allow or cause a tenant to occupy any rental dwelling unit unless the property owner has first paid the required housing stock conservation fee.

(Ord. No. 2002-04, § 2(16B.15.03), 5-8-2002)