The code enforcement officer goes to the property, knocks on the door and lets the resident know the purpose of the visit.
The resident has the right to deny access to the property. If they do, our investigation will be limited to what can be viewed from the street or adjacent properties.
The city does have the right to get a search warrant. However, because that process is time consuming and expensive, search warrants are only obtained in extreme situations.
Verification
If the complaint cannot be verified, the investigation comes to an end and the case is closed. If the complaint appears valid, the code enforcement officer takes pictures and makes notes to document what they witnessed.
Presence
If the resident is present, they are given a verbal warning. A completion date is set and at that time the problem must be corrected. A second inspection is done after that date.
If the resident is not present for the inspection, and the violation is relatively minor, a written warning is left at the home explaining what work must be done, usually within 1 week to 10 days. After that date, a second inspection is done.