Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt proclaimed October as National Code Compliance Month earlier this week. The City’s Code Enforcement team invites residents and property owners to celebrate the work done by the code inspectors, who help ensure our collective health and safety, and to reflect on how they can be good neighbors.
Code Compliance Month is part of a national campaign to raise awareness about how to keep land and buildings safe. A key part of code compliance is the code professionals who help raise awareness and address potential hazards and code violations such as high grass and weeds, property maintenance concerns and trees blocking street signs views of the road.
The City’s Code Enforcement team, made up of 45 employees, maintains a balance between code compliance and code enforcement by identifying dangerous and substandard conditions and implementing programs to ensure standards are met. The team performs more than 70,000 inspections per year throughout the city, which include nuisance and zoning codes.
“Building relationships with residents and homeowners is what matters,” Code Enforcement Superintendent Chad Davidson said. “We’re proud to achieve an 80% voluntary compliance rate with residents and businesses.”
How to be a Good Neighbor
Continuous communication through education and community outreach encourages residents to be good neighbors. What does being a good neighbor mean? Introduce yourself. Check in on your neighbors. Help trim tree limbs. There are so many ways residents can make a difference.
The City’s Code Enforcement team is here to help neighborhoods and wants to partner with its residents.
Report code violations
The City understands sometimes Code Enforcement does need to be involved. Residents can report non-emergency issues to the Action Center in five ways:
- Online: okc.gov/action
- Email: action.center@okc.gov
- City’s mobile app: OKC Connect
- Text: (405) 252-1053
- Phone: (405) 297-2535
The Action Center’s phone line, (405) 297-2535, is answered between 8:30 – 11:45 a.m. and 1 - 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. All concerns are addressed during normal business hours.
Residents can get status updates on their concerns when they include their email addresses and a request for updates in the message.
For more information on Oklahoma City’s codes, visit okc.gov.