Regulatory Services
Mission statement
Strengthens communities by partnering with residents, neighborhoods and businesses to make the city safer, healthier and more inviting for all.
Our people
Programs and divisions
Purpose and context
The Traffic Control program supports community safety and traffic flow through city-wide parking enforcement and intersection control.
Minneapolis residents and visitors: Traffic Control addresses hazards in the roads, eases traffic congestion and provides support to prioritized transit during rush hour. Traffic Control responded to about 31,000 service requests in 2019, 5,000 of which were urgent complaints. As recovery and rebuilding commence, Traffic Control’s visibility in the field will help increase connectedness and build community trust. In 2021, Traffic Control began responding to late night emergency parking complaints.
Businesses: Traffic Control provides parking enforcement to maintain parking availability in commercial areas, providing much needed parking turnover for businesses, residents and visitors.
System and department partners: Traffic Control coordinates with and provides support to Public Works, Minneapolis Fire and Police Departments, and the Minnesota Department of Transportation throughout the year. During COVID-19, Traffic Control helped other divisions and departments with soft community and commercial enforcement (e.g. social distancing, leash laws, restaurant pick-up zones).
Staff: This division has historically been a promotional path for staff who transition to other divisions or departments. Staff are encouraged to participate in career development opportunities.
Services provided
Traffic control: On-site traffic control allowing for safer, more efficient traffic flow during rush hour, large and special events, around construction sites (funded by private contractors) and during emergencies or natural disasters. Multi-departmental response coordination (e.g. support Public Works including temporary postings for construction, street cleaning, snow emergencies; Minneapolis Police Department and Minneapolis Fire Department for emergencies; Business Licensing for taxis, valets, food vendors and pedicabs).
Code compliance: Enforce parking regulations including disability, street use and obstruction permits. Tag and mark illegally parked vehicles for towing. Respond to complaints including blocked driveways, bike lanes and emergency lanes. Educate on parking regulations.
Community engagement: Traffic Control is a racially and ethnically diverse division; its members proactively educate community members about traffic and parking compliance.
Race equity impacts
We have more demand for traffic services than we can supply as evidenced by 311's Service Level Agreements and increasing complaint data. With a 79% increase in 311 complaints over the past 5 years and only a 13% increase in staffing hours, Traffic Control has long been under staffed. Even with full staffing, we have difficulty completing street cleaning and snow emergency routes. At the same time, these positions have a higher vacancy rate than most in the department or City, due to both the department’s commitment to hiring and promoting from within and the high-risk nature of the role which results in injuries and turnover.
Anticipating a return to higher service levels, we expect increased demand from the public and our partner departments to more fully enforce regulations and provide construction and intersection services. Funding commitments have been secured for major construction projects downtown and response to urgent late night parking complaints. Much of this work is done by part-time employees of color who are entering their City career. This position often acts as a pipeline to the rest of the department and staff are representative of the communities they interact with on a daily basis.
Purpose and context
Operations & Engagement efficiently and effectively supports actions across all divisions in Regulatory Services that advance the department goals: put people and communities first; prioritize renter safety, health, stability and dignity; and provide proactive and sustainable programming that is equitable for all residents. In addition, the division supports the shift in mindset and daily tasks necessary to implement four policies guiding the department’s work— Renter First, the Strategic Racial Equity Action Plan, a tiering and rental licensing study and a review of animal shelter policies —all developed in 2019. In 2020 and 2021, the division supported the department in establishing and demonstrating effective remote work, supported Regulatory Services’ reorganization, and overhauled equity and inclusion development opportunities to provide virtual opportunities.
Renters and property owners: In addition to the three major renter-related polices guiding the department, recent ordinances and initiatives have focused on stabilizing renters and maintaining the condition of their housing. In examining impacts on renters, the department integrates Racial Equity Impact Analysis questions into our decision-making processes. As our main partners in implementing the housing code, property owners interact with the division frequently, during policy and ordinance development. Their input has been vital in Renter First, the housing inspection study, and implementation committee for the Renter Protection Ordinances.
Community: The division’s work benefits the entire community by developing and implementing policy and processes which improve department interactions with the community. This creates a culture shift that is human centric and reflective of our core values.
Staff: The division provides technical and internal services support to all field divisions and other departments. The division also supports a department-wide culture shift through a robust equity and inclusion program that works to dismantle systemic racism, facilitates difficult dialogues and administers individual cultural agility workplans required of all staff. With recent ordinances and the internal reorganization, there are increased opportunities for staff to share their experiences and meaningfully participate in implementation decisions.
Services provided
Policy creation and systems improvement: Deliver strategic coordination for process improvement and public policy such as: Rental Relocation Benefits, Advanced Notice of Sale, Limited Lookback and Security deposit, Emergency Repair Board, Opportunity to Purchase, Short-Term Rental and Single Room Occupancy.
Community engagement: Quickly retooled community engagement work to include safety precautions for COVID-19 and information on nuisance orders addressing the pandemic and the impact it may have on owners’ ability to reach compliance. Outreach for renter protections included information in multiple languages and 10 stakeholder webinars. Going forward, we intend to nurture inclusive and participatory models that foster relationships with community partners.
Legal processes & alternative enforcement: Provide customer service by processing 25,000 rental licenses annually as well as registrations, citations, contractor authorizations and permits. Oversee nearly 100 administrative hearings for 7 City departments. Our evolving alternative enforcement approach recognizes additional intervention may be necessary and aims to seamlessly transition between administrative hearings, rental license conditions and revocations. This work occurs alongside residents, Rental Housing Liaisons and Housing Navigators.
Data-driven solutions: Ensure accurate oversight and management of data, an annual rental licensing tiering process, research and visualization projects, statistical analysis and Results Minneapolis. Work to effectively release data to the public, including 120 dashboards and responding to an average of 900 annual data requests.
Internal City services: Provide services required for internal departmental functions including Fleet, HR, IT, space, budget and contracts. Coordinate department projects and Enterprise programs such as ELMS, emergency management, employee engagement surveys and the New Public Service Building.
Race equity impacts
Through the above-mentioned actions, we have been focusing on bringing people of color and low-income communities into decisions that ultimately shift and balance power dynamics. In retooling community engagement, we are better leveraging technology and new platforms in addition to in-person connections. We are bringing resident and community voice into rental license conditions and TRAs, input that will more accurately address housing issues. By continuing to center people, especially those who have been disenfranchised, we will ensure equity is embedded in our work.
The division is taking steps toward more actively supporting the department’s alternative enforcement approach, meant to act as a continuum of enforcement actions. Alternative enforcement recognizes that additional intervention is necessary in some circumstances and aims to seamlessly transition between administrative hearings, rental license conditions and revocations. As new policy and tools are developed, this team will provide a natural home for the associated resources. Importantly, this work occurs alongside residents, Rental Housing Liaisons and Housing Navigators.
Purpose and context
THe Minneapolis Animal Care & Control (MACC) program helps create safe and healthy communities for people and animals through shelter care and adoption, investigation of dangerous animal cases, public education, issuance of immunizations and enforcement of statutes and local ordinances. MACC promotes sound animal welfare policies such as pet licenses and spay and neuter programs, impounding, kenneling and providing proper veterinary care for injured, stray and surrendered animals.
Community: MACC has strategically worked over the last five years to improve processes that ensure the community is safe and animals have the very best opportunity to have a forever home. In 2019, MACC became the largest municipal shelter in the region to reach a no-kill threshold. Strong relationships with internal and external partners ensure the public and City employees are educated and safe. Over the last few years, MACC has developed the Animal Safety Net, a community outreach program rooted in education and proactive engagement on animal-related issues, including four yearly immunizations clinics. MACC also focuses on animal crimes, often harbingers of more serious criminal activities in their communities, including human trafficking and firearms.
Pets and pet owners: This work, in turn, contributes to a pet-friendly city which welcomes animal lovers and promotes increased public and private programs aimed specifically at animal-centered initiatives and amenities. For low-income pet owners, MACC provides reduced-cost vaccination clinics, pet licenses and spay/neuter programs. Through a review of animal shelter policies, the division continually looks at policies and procedures to ensure they are rooted in best practices.
Minneapolis residents and visitors: A strong animal care program ensures availability of resources for dangerous animals work, management of pets through proactive programs including immunization clinics, partnerships with rescues and prosecution of animal crimes.
Services provided
MACC’s dual focus on public safety and shelter care allows for a holistic view of animal welfare that includes:
Field services: Provide prompt, efficient response by first responders to ensure public health and safety as it pertains to human and animal safety. In 2019, MACC managed almost 6,900 initial calls for service. Collaboratively assess and overhaul ordinances and processes to ensure service model matches City policy and customer needs.
Shelter services: Efficiently and humanely provide preventative and emergency medical care to all animals entering the shelter system to ensure the safety and health of animals in the shelter’s care and control. Provide a safe haven for pets whose owners vulnerable (e.g. experiencing domestic violence, major medical issues or obtaining stable housing). Adopt out pets and maintain 90% or higher live release rate for all domestic animals. Intake and quarantine sick and injured animals alongside containment or euthanasia of vicious, dangerous or untreatably sick and injured animals. Day-to-day maintenance of the shelter.
Investigative services: Work with MPD, the City Attorney and non-profit partners to address criminal conduct involving animals and animal cruelty.
Veterinary services: Impound, kennel and provide proper veterinary care for injured, stray and surrendered animals. Provide animal enrichment and health (treats and prescribes for individual animal’s mental health) and in-house expert on epidemiology and zoonotic diseases.
Volunteer program and community outreach: Onboard, train, and supervise over 80 volunteers. Manage animal enrichment programs.
Animal Safety Net and community outreach: Shift service delivery to upstream interventions in order to limit the number of animals displaced. Develop programming to create better animal outcomes, connect more deeply with the community and relieve pressure on shelter operations.
Administrative services: Processing and collecting general records and fees and fines.
Race equity impacts
Much of MACC’s work is statutorily bound and as such a reduction of services will disproportionately affect supportive programs for vulnerable people (e.g. discounts for kennel fees, temporary no-cost care for pets whose owners are in the hospital or trying to leave a violent domestic relationship, and retrieval of deceased pets or those requiring euthanasia).
In 2019, MACC had about 6,900 calls for service, with 38% in SREAP zip codes. Evolving work in order to remain responsive during COVID-19 prompted the development of new structures including the foster diversion program which reimagines our shelter care work. We are working with the MACC community board and non-profit partners to formalize this approach. We believe these changes would result in more appropriate care of animals and a stronger relationship with the community.
In creating and maintaining proactive and sustainable programming that is equitable for all residents, MACC will continue to build upon staff trainings that support emotionally-aware staff grounded in equity work. These skills are invaluable as we enter people’s homes and work with them in charged situations.
During the COVID-19 shelter-in-place, MACC saw over a 100% increase in dog bites across the city as agents were not proactively patrolling for leashing laws. Once we started enforcing again, within one week we saw a 60% decrease, making a strong case that enforcement needs to remain constant.
As the pandemic affects communities of color and low-income communities at disproportionate rates, MACC’s supportive services, in addition to its core enforcement duties, will become even more critical in serving all Minneapolis residents.
Purpose and context
In 2021, Regulatory Services merged its Fire Inspections and Housing Inspections divisions in order to continue driving toward system change and improved service delivery. The new Inspections Division is a primary party responsible for implementing the City’s Renter First policy as well as ensuring compliance with the fire code (for commercial properties and residential properties with at least four units) and housing and habitability codes. In cooperation with the Fire Department and the Commuinity Planning and Economic Development (CPED) department, the division also conducts plan review for fire suppression and life safety systems, issues relevant permits and ensures the safety of hazardous materials sites.
Renters & property owners: The division supports, develops and implements three major renter-related polices – Renter First, SREAP and the 2019 inspection study. Inspectors are actively engaged in developing and using these tools to ensure healthy and dignified housing while enforcing fire and housing maintenance codes. The housing liaison team supports renters and owners by providing advocacy and culturally appropriate support, helping navigate complex housing situations, addressing retaliation and maximizing renter stability.
Community: The community benefits from internal and external partnerships that further goals such as safety, quality rental and housing stability. The division supports community safety through nuisance abatement work and interdepartmental response as necessary.
Commercial buildings: The division issues permits related to fire protection (e.g. fire sprinklers, fire alarm systems) and prevention (e.g. kitchen hood exhaust cleaning, special events, fireworks sales) and performs fire plan review to ensure safety and adherence to the Minnesota State Fire Code.
Services provided
Intentional shift of recognizing the individual affected by the code. Renter First shifts enforcement work to a renter-centered approach. Rental housing liaisons further enforce this shift by responding to complaints that involve patterns of negligent or retaliatory behavior by property owners and minimizing the impact of code enforcement on renters
Recognize rental housing as community resource. Maintain the health, safety and habitability in residential units through the Housing Maintenance and State Fire Codes. Maintain the Vacant Building Registry with an emphasis on rehabilitating properties. Expedite post-fire evaluation of structural fires to contain or remove immediate health and safety hazards. Conduct neighborhood sweeps to abate nuisance conditions. Develop hybrid (combination of in-person and virtual) inspections by partnering with owners and renters.
Commercial permits and inspections and fire hazard mitigation. Commercial inspections and management of commercial Vacant and Boarded Registration. Conduct early child care and foster care facility inspections. Manage hazardous materials facilities and Minnesota State Fire Code construction and operational fire and life safety suppression and detection permits, including plan review and complex building and site inspections. Manage fire safety practices at special events and stadiums.
Putting people and communities first. For vulnerable residents, the division delivers two programs:
- Homeowner Navigators assist senior, veteran, and disabled homeowners in addressing open housing orders, deferred property maintenance and in-home safety hazards.
- Rental Housing Liaisons provide services for renters needing help navigating complex housing situations. BIPOC renters often experience additional housing issues and higher housing instability and benefit from these interventions.
Race equity impacts
With the lifting of the eviction moratorium, we expect an increased number of housing conditions complaints against negligent or retaliatory property owners. As these cases will be complex and require culturally agile support, the three rental housing liaisons will be important resources and their workload will be impacted.
Moreover, we expect to see a surge of eviction filings and will need to realign staff priorities to ramp up our interactions with nonprofit partners. The merger of Housing and Fire Inspections recognizes that the policy and programmatic changes toward equity need to be solidified through structural change. One merged division makes it easier for internal and external customers to work with the team, creates opportunities to develop and leverage staff in new ways and ensures a unified vision. The merger also reimagines the leadership team and unites the rental housing liaisons and homeowner navigators into a single work group, elevating the work and embedding renter first priorities in the division. Both the liaisons and navigators work almost exclusively with low-income families, the majority being residents of color. Liaisons and navigators use culturally agile relationship-building skills and housing knowledge in complex and sensitive housing situations and contribute to dignified housing and overall housing stability, providing a resident-focused approach in implementing policies. Additionally, the division will partner with the Operations & Engagement division as it ramps up alternative enforcement work to create positive outcomes in renter communities.
2022 Mayor's Recommended change items
Regulatory Services - Core Service Rebuilding
Program: Multiple
Fund: General Fund
FTE: 8.0
Proposal detail and background
The Mayor recommends increasing Regulatory Services by $918,000 in ongoing spending, this equates to 8 FTEs. The FTEs will be used to fill held vacancies in our 2021 budget and return service capacity closer to 2019 levels. The additional FTEs would be split between Minneapolis Animal Care & Control (MACC), Operations + Engagement, and Traffic Control.
Specifically, the positions are:
- Customer Service Representative in MACC
- Shelter Supervisor in MACC
- Animal Safety Net Coordinator in MACC
- Animal Control Officer in MACC
- Customer Service Representative in Operations + Engagement
- Business Process Data Analyst in Operations + Engagement
- 2 Code Compliance Specialists in Traffic Control
In 2021, Regulatory Services held vacancies across the department to avoid additional layoffs.
A disproportionate percentage of held vacancies were administrative, prioritize resident safety and customer facing roles. Though this priority was made, administrative positions, across the department, are critical for smooth and efficient operations. Without these staff members, those remaining are overburdened, and customer service is directly impacted. Field staff are taken away from their duties to provide administrative support and formal leaders spend more time on transactional tasks and less time leading and implementing important culture change work. Filling these roles supports the Mayoral goals of economic inclusion, public safety, and affordable housing.
Minneapolis Animal Care & Control received one-time funding for Animal Safety Net (ASN) program strategy and design in 2021. Without dedicated staff, this has proven challenging and has taken staff out of the field for administrative duties, resulting in longer response times for animal-related public safety. This request is part of both our 25% and 50% proposals and provides ongoing staffing to support this program. The demand for ASN programs is high, and filling this proposal helps Regulatory Services realize its 2021 reorganization to prioritize this work.
Operations + Engagement requests to fill 2 vacancies in both our 25% and 50% requests. These positions provide essential support to the entire department, including timely data entry supporting field-based workers and proactive data analysis supporting employee safety and strategic direction for operations.
A complete staff roster at Code Compliance and Traffic Control is essential to staff safety, smooth operations and recovery time between shifts. This division supports community safety and traffic flow through city-wide parking enforcement and intersection control. In addition to regular duties of traffic management and monitoring meters, this division is asked to assist with late night traffic management, late night parking complaints, and traffic management around construction projects and large events. The division is also increasingly being included in an expanded public safety role on behalf of the City; having appropriate staffing levels for this work begins with full base funding. Current public perception of City employees means staff must remain nimble and accessible to assist their colleagues.
Description of the change
Filling these staffing vacancies increases program capacity in the following divisions.
Animal care and control
Animal Control is holding 2 administrative vacancies in 2021, moving those duties to other positions. Recent changes at Animal Care & Control, including expanding ASN programming, have broadened services available to vulnerable owners and their pets. In 2021, we project serving 100 families in the ASN program. These cases are labor-intensive and require relationship building with families and 70 community partners. We also anticipate the halting of the eviction moratorium to put more families and pets at risk. Dedicated staff support for the Animal Safety Net provide resources grow the program to meet community need. An additional Animal Control Officer provides critical emergency response in emotionally charged situations. The Animal Safety Net Coordinator will provide dedicated staff support and strategic direction to the Animal Safety Net. An additional Animal Control Officer dedicated to 911 calls and proactive enforcement reduces response time and provides support to a small staff providing 24/7 coverage. In 2020, 71% of bite calls and 43% of at-large animal calls were to SREAP zip codes, both public safety considerations. MACC does not currently collect race data on bite victims or callers reporting at-large animals, but census data tells us residents of SREAP zip codes are between 60% and 80% BIPOC, demonstrating the needs for compassionate public safety in these zip codes.
Operations and engagement
In Operations + Engagement, Regulatory Services proposes hiring back 2 FTE. This team carries the administrative burden of all divisions in the department and, over the past few years, an additional 6 FTEs were reduced via attrition in order to help resolve the Revolving Fund imbalance. As Regulatory Services is asked to take on more duties for the City (e.g. community safety, short term rental, rental protections) and continue to transition how we do our work, analyst work is critical. Both the 25% and 50% proposals restore 1 of 2 laid off CSR positions. In 2021, the remaining CSRs have seen their workload increase 33% and have lodged more requests for overtime pay in order to keep up with the demand. The work capacity gained by these reinstated positions will help with timely and accurate data analysis and data processing and entry, all of which impact the speed at which customers are contacted and issues resolved.
Traffic control
Filling 2 Code Compliance Specialist vacancies will increase Traffic Control’s capacity as we return to pre-COVID construction, event and parking levels while also adapting to public and employee safety concerns. As on-the-ground safety conditions change for staff, we are updating our business model to ensure staff are safe while doing their jobs. This can take multiple forms and includes maintaining geographic proximity amongst staff teams. Additionally, between 2015 and 2019, Traffic Control averaged $110,000 in overtime annually. Pre-COVID, some staff worked shifts 8 days in a row or with less than 8 hours of break between shifts. These positions are demanding physically and mentally, and ample recovery time between shifts is essential. We are working to proactively correct this unsustainable model as we anticipate returning to pre-COVID traffic and event levels in 2022.
Equity impacts and results
Regulatory Services prioritizes equity in all our work. This is done at the City-wide level, through policy change, with Renter First and other person-centered ordinances, and internally, in recognizing the impact and working to reduce the burden of our enforcement work. Staff reductions in 2021 mean we don’t have data to adequately evaluate our work in these areas, but we include a Racial Equity Impact Analysis on all department decisions.
Regulatory Services adjusts programs to meet community need. The department dedicated 5 positions to help renters and homeowners living in buildings with significant life safety issues. These positions were created because the enforcement process resulted in significant negative consequences to vulnerable populations. The Animal Safety Net was created from community need, when enforcement didn’t foster a person-centered approach in their work.
The staff added in this scenario allow the department to center equity in our work. The 2 positions in Operations + Engagement allow expeditious data entry and analysis, central to our work implementing Renter First policies and renter protection ordinances. Expeditious data entry means data is readily available to all parties in a timely manner. Additional analytical capacity means data can be used for program design to promote equity for our residents, particularly vulnerable residents. The majority of Minneapolis residents live in rental housing, including a disproportionate percentage of residents of culture.
33% of all Animal Control activities are in SREAP zip codes and about 15% of pet licenses are for low-income or senior pet owners. The 4 positions in MACC are designed to expand programming for vulnerable residents and public safety response. Additional administrative capacity frees up officers to take 911 calls, and for shelter staff to add services to meet community need. The Animal Safety Net has several established programs, and additional staff in this change item allow more programming to help vulnerable residents and their pets. Aniaml Control Officers provide a well-trained, caring, non-lethal response to emotional animal related 911 calls. De-escalation is accomplished by actively listening, being respectful, being professional and proactively working with the individual and the community to resolve issues before they morph into a situation that cannot be de-escalated.
Ensuring that these interactions are as positive as they can be, in what are often dangerous and emotionally-charged situations is critical for our city to begin to heal.
The Traffic Control request comes within the context of 60% of the division identifying as BIPOC in an incredibly high stress, physically demanding job. 2020 and 2021 have brought extra challenges as staff are forced to professionally respond as some members of the public are abusive and aggressive. This has led to burnout and emotional exhaustion. Demand for Traffic Control is high, with communities requesting a non-sworn civilian presence. As demand for service grows, this division is engaging BIPOC communities by participating in local radio station interview to educate BIPOC communities about parking rules and snow emergencies, and distribution educational brochures. Though we don’t collect data about effectiveness of these programs, we believe this education provides BIPOC residents with valuable knowledge.
Our commitment to hiring and promoting from within and the high-risk nature of the role also often result in turnover and injuries. Providing employment and promotional opportunities for this team provides a pathway into City employment. The division strives to hire agents that represent the community to support this focus.
Internally, Regulatory Services has a strong equity and inclusion program for all staff. Our innovative and timely events are staff led, fostering cross cultural understanding and compassion in community and internal interactions. Additionally, our all staff programming focuses on equity and inclusion. The department has a ranking system for employee ranking on the cultural diversity portion of performance reviews.
The 2 FTE in Operations + Engagement increase Regulatory Services’ administrative and data analysis capacity and support the department in strategic, innovative programs.
Animal Care & Control will gain capacity for front desk and shelter operations, support for the Animal Safety Net and additional emergency response capacity. The Shelter Supervisor and Customer Service Representative provide administrative capacity currently lacking at MACC. The Animal Control Officer increases MACC’s public safety response for both people and pets in emergency situations.
In Traffic Control, 2 additional Code Compliance Specialists provide essential staff flexibility and recovery, which should result in better employee engagement results, less turnover, fewer injuries and safety incidents, and less sick time/overtime used.
Regulatory Services - Community Relations for Proactive Portfolio Work
Program: Operations and engagement
Fund: General Fund
FTE: 1
Proposal detail and background
The Mayor recommends In support of the Mayor’s goal of affordable housing, Regulatory Services requests a Community Engagement Specialist to liaise with portfolios of renters and housing and renter organizations and partner with Tenant Navigators and other City departments to further the Renter First Policy. This specialist will be office-based and, in addition to the liaison work, coordinate and staff community events, create renter resources and research grant opportunities.
An additional FTE working with renters supports the Mayor’s two major priorities: affordable housing and economic growth through inclusion. When property owners fail to abate life-safety code violations, traditional regulatory approaches can result in renters’ circumstances and needs being overlooked. Current department efforts lack the programmatic capacity to strategically coordinate with affected renters and renter organizations, governmental partners, community and neighborhood organizations, and other internal City resources. In late 2018, Regulatory Services repurposed a Program Assistant to a Community Engagement Specialist to manage existing community communications. This transition was fruitful, and the department would like to build on that success to move from triaging requests to proactively engaging with entire rental buildings and portfolios.
Description of the change
Regulatory Services requests one FTE to focus on renter communications and community engagement work. Experience with two large portfolios demonstrated the need for a central person in the office to coordinate with communication, across department activities, Utility Billing, external advocacy groups, Rental Housing Liaisons and Inspectors. The department expects this need to continue and grow, especially as it prioritizes housing stability on par with safety and as outside agencies, the eviction moratorium is fully lifted, and externally retained attorneys pursue action against negligent owners.
While Rental Housing Liaisons operate in the field, working in-person on specific cases, the Community Engagement Specialist will address our engagement work upstream using data (e.g. resident complaints and abnormally high water bills) and community relationships to identify buildings or portfolios where renters may be living in unsafe or unhealthy conditions. The Community Engagement Specialist will work serve as a central point of contact for the department, city staff and external stakeholders. Through this proactive and coordinated work, we can better strategize with city and community organizations, partner with renters, and correct conditions before they put housing stability at risk. Regulatory Services will work with Rental Housing Liaisons, renter and housing advocacy groups and other City departments (e.g. the City Attorney’s Office, CPED and Finance) to ensure a final job posting includes their perspectives.
Equity impact and results
The Community Engagement Specialist helps break down systemic oppression by not relying on a single individual to personally contact the City with a complaint but instead utilizing collective complaints, patterns, and community knowledge to identify buildings with hidden code violations.
This position is highly focused on stabilizing vulnerable renters and preventing future instances of City-led property vacations. The staff member will be responsible for directly bringing in and centering renters’ voices and experiences into City conversations on decisions affecting their housing. With this role, Regulatory Services will add not only a lynchpin to our renter-centric work, it will also shift the power balance, providing a resource within the City system who can anticipate issues and help navigate internal processes while coordinating with other departments and system partners.
Recent work with displaced renters and renter organizations highlighted the need for data-driven decisions. The department will track results using the ELMS software, including: a) number of cases, b) depth of engagement (contact, manage or assist), c) renter demographics, d) household size, e) reason for referral, and f) case outcome. Additionally, we will track the number of community meetings attended, communication materials created and community contacts developed and utilize any other relevant measures developed as part of the Renter First work.