GUEST COMMENTARY: The Benefits of Putting Housing Code Violations Online

September 10th, 2008 - by Michael Braverman

Baltimore Housing recognizes that code enforcement is a community issue that can be best met when all stakeholders can access the same information and work together to improve and maintain our neighborhoods. Baltimore Housing addressed that need by creating a Code Enforcement database via its website. The database primarily supports Mayor Sheila Dixon’s twin goals of transparency and accountability in government, in the most efficient way possible. Towards that end, Baltimore residents and community leaders can search by neighborhood or address for any code enforcement violation notice issued in the city. They can also search for any unresolved cases forwarded to the litigation section, all cases scheduled in Housing Court, and the specific terms and deadlines of every court order that has been entered into Housing Court. Information regarding pending Housing Court cases and court-ordered deadlines were previously never widely available. In addition, Baltimore City’s website hosts a relatively simple mapping component where violations can be seen in a neighborhood context. The mapping feature also allows users to see condemned properties and find property owners.

With real-time, searchable information about all Baltimore Housing’s violation notices available online, community leaders can quickly and easily compile neighborhood data and identify properties that should be under notice. In the recent past, obtaining a copy of the loose-leaf bound mainframe printouts was the only way community leaders could gather violation information. Needless to say, old treasured copies of the printouts were a staple for community organizing.

The accessibility of this information promotes better outcomes for Baltimore City. Communities that closely monitor the data can contact Baltimore Housing as soon as they notice problems – from buildings, which should be under notice but are not, to court-ordered deadlines that have been missed. Communities easily determine which Housing Court cases they wish to be present for and their presence alone often promotes better outcomes in court.

Always looking to improve and serve our communities in the most efficient way, Code Enforcement is working to enhance communication with citation recipients. Many citation holders want to see a photograph of the violation in dispute. Code Enforcement intends to post photographs of all 30,000 pre-payable sanitation violations on our website. By being able to view their violation, citation holders will be more inclined to promptly mail in their check. Payments will soon be accepted online.

Baltimore Housing’s Code Enforcement website is a result of several years of rebuilding internal business systems that would obtain more efficient and effective outcomes to better measure performance. Prior to creating these online database and systems, limited records were kept and stored manually on index cards in a file drawer. Not only was it difficult to manage operations, but it became nearly impossible to efficiently post useful data on the web. As these systems continue to develop, more information will be made available online increasing the transparency in Baltimore’s Code Enforcement operations and creating greater efficiencies for the greater Baltimore community.