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File Number: 17-109 <br />Community Compliance <br />The Community Compliance Section of the San Leandro Police Department currently <br />oversees a wide variety of community standards issues including enforcement of the City’s <br />Community Preservation Ordinance. This ordinance was adopted to preserve the quality and <br />appearance of the City’s residential, commercial and industrial areas. The ordinance prohibits <br />the storage of items such as boxes, garbage bags and cans, discarded household items and <br />furniture, packing containers, machine or vehicle parts, camper shells and miscellaneous <br />other items in areas of the property that are visible from the street. Community Compliance <br />also enforces violations of the City’s Weed Ordinance, Building Code, and Zoning Code, <br />among other issues. <br />Historically, Code Compliance had between three and five dedicated staff people. In recent <br />years, a restructuring in the Police Department shifted Code Compliance functions to Police <br />Service Technicians (PST’s). PST’s perform a variety of functions for the Department, so it is <br />not possible to state exactly what level of staffing is devoted to Code Compliance at this time. <br />Under the Community Care program, most of the Code Compliance functions will be <br />transferred to the Community Development Department. This change will enable the Police <br />Department to devote greater attention to its top priority: public safety. Moreover, the <br />Community Development is already responsible for Building Code Enforcement and <br />implementation of the City’s Zoning Code, so locating these functions in the same department <br />will result in organizational efficiencies and improved communication. <br />As noted in the funding proposal detailed later in this report, staffing for the new Code <br />Compliance Division in Community Development comprises the greatest share of requested <br />funding for the Community Care program. As proposed, Code Compliance will have three, <br />dedicated full-time positions. Funding for one position will be transferred from the Police <br />Department. The Community Care proposal also includes funding for one new Community <br />Services Specialist position and one new Community Services Specialist (temporary, two <br />years). Staff is confident that this arrangement will substantially increase the City’s capacity to <br />address Code Compliance issues. <br />Some components of Code Compliance are proposed to remain in the Police Department <br />because they are most effectively addressed by law enforcement personnel. This includes <br />abandoned vehicles, animal control, and some parking violations, such as parking on lawns. <br />Police officers will also continue to assist with enforcement of code issues whenever the <br />presence of a law enforcement officer is warranted. <br />Abatement of Issues in the Public Right-of-Way and Illegal Dumping <br />The City’s Public Works Department will continue to handle issues in the public right-of way, <br />such as potholes, illegal dumping, and graffiti abatement (which is also addressed by City <br />staff on private property in many instances). Thus far, a significant majority of issues reported <br />through the MySL app has been assigned to Public Works. The launch of the app and a <br />related work order system has already resulted in some efficiencies for the Department. The <br />Community Care proposal includes funding for one additional Street Maintenance Worker <br />position for a period of two years to enhance the Department’s ability to respond to these <br />Page 3 City of San Leandro Printed on 3/13/2017 <br />178