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Provo zoning administrator outlines data-driven code-enforcement updates, RFP plans and use of civil fines
Summary
Zoning administrator Scott Johnson reported on a data-driven effort to identify unlicensed rental properties, an RFP to automate data gathering, increased use of civil fines and plans for public education, canvassing and body-camera deployment for code enforcement.
Provo's zoning administrator, Scott Johnson, briefed the council on progress toward reimagining code enforcement, describing a mix of manual outreach, planned technology procurement, and policy and enforcement tools including civil fines.
Johnson said staff had compared county and city records and have been sending letters to owners of properties that may require rental licenses. "We've sent approximately 260 letters out to property owners. We've gotten responses in 1 way or another from about 20% of them," Johnson said, adding that about 20 property owners applied for licenses after receiving letters.
Code staff conducted a door-to-door canvass of the Slate Canyon area in November and visited 106 homes touching the regulated street; that canvass confirmed 29 rentals with licenses and led to enforcement that closed two over-occupancy cases, staff reported. Johnson told the council that civil fines have been an effective enforcement lever: "Anecdotally, my staff is absolutely in love with utilizing civil fines. They've seen anecdotally in almost a night and day difference in the response of people who we send notices to."
Johnson said he is preparing a request for proposals (RFP) to find software that can scrape advertised rental listings so staff can locate properties for which the city does not have licensing records. He said the city recently migrated its procurement system and staff are completing training; he expects the RFP to be fully submitted and active by the next council update.
On technology and operations, Johnson said the information-services team has been working to enable body-camera integration, but staff ran into technical roadblocks on the server managing that system. He said he expects the issues to be resolved soon and that body-camera use will support public education and transparency.
Johnson also described planned digital media outreach and neighborhood meetings to educate residents about code enforcement changes. He told the council that the longer-term plan includes developing a civil-fine structure and returning to council with data about civil-fine use and enforcement outcomes later in the year.
Councilors requested more granular data at future briefings, including before-and-after measures and a clearer "from-to" accounting of progress. Johnson agreed to provide more detailed data at the next update.
No legislative actions were taken during the work session; the presentation was informational and staff committed to returning with an RFP result, body-camera status and enforcement outcome figures.
