Residential enforcement is made up of three sections:

• Proactive Enforcement Team
• Proactive Rental Enforcement Program
• Residential Response Team

The Proactive Enforcement Team ("PET") is a fast moving team that conducts door-to-door inspections of property maintenance violations team members observe in designated neighborhood areas.  They survey all the properties in a designated neighborhood area and issue corrective notices for unsightly exterior conditions, such as:

• Poor landscape maintenance

• Structure in need of painting

• Unsightly, deteriorated fencing

• Broken windows

• Overgrown yards

• Storage in the front yard

• Inoperable vehicles

The goal of the team is to address blighting conditions early and prevent deterioration of neighborhoods.  The plan for "PET" is to move rapidly through the neighborhoods and cover as much of the City as possible each year.

An Administrative Warning notice is issued to the property owner or tenant of each property with violations.  The warning specifies the violation(s) observed and a period of time, up to 30 days, to correct the violations.  An Administrative Fine is issued for continuing violations. 

The Proactive Enforcement Team also is responsible for monitoring Mobile Vending Vehicles.

The Proactive Rental Enforcement Program ("PREP") promotes public health, safety, and welfare through a systematic proactive code enforcement effort towards residential rental property throughout the City of Santa Ana.  "PREP" is intended to promote an environment in which unhealthy conditions and life safety hazards are reduced for occupants of residential rental property by identifying and correcting code violations resulting in a:

• Threat to the structural integrity of the building
• Negative impact on the surrounding neighborhoods

All rental housing in a quadrant in Santa Ana is reviewed every four years.  PREP is designed to be a community oriented code enforcement program with initial inspections done by appointment with the property owners at their convenience.  A Notice of Violation provides for a 30, 60 or 90-day time frame for compliance, depending upon the severity of the deficiencies.  The program requires annual rechecks of rental properties having violations during the most recent inspection, regardless of location within the City.

When a property owner fails to complete corrections within the allotted time frame, the case file is scheduled for an administrative hearing or referred to the City Attorney with a request for legal action to be initiated.

The Residential Response Team ("RRT") investigates complaints alleging substandard housing conditions, property maintenance violations, and land use violations occurring on residential properties.  The team also handles traditional code enforcement concerns involving the lack of exterior property maintenance and illegal vending violations.  The most commonly reported violations involve:

• Substandard conditions involving roofs, foundations, floor support systems, plumbing/electrical/mechanical systems

• Garage conversions and improper occupancies

• Insanitary and/or hazardous conditions

• Work completed without required permits

• Illegal business from residence

• Balcony storage

• Illegal vendors

• Lack of landscape maintenance

• Visible trash cans from public view (before or after trash day)

• Satellite dish antennas visible from public view

• Sewage spills

• Dangerous/Abandoned Buildings

The Residential Response Team utilizes any of the Methods of Enforcement to get a homeowner or tenant to comply with the Municipal Code.

Case research and investigation require extensive follow-up.  Property owners are afforded time frames ranging from 30 to 60, or 90 days to comply.  When compliance is not achieved, cases are referred to an administrative nuisance hearing or to the City Attorney's Office for possible criminal complaint.

Common Residential Violations List