Committee recommends Inspectional Services budget; staff warn short-term rental inspections will increase workload

Verula Ofanos, director of Inspectional Services, told the administration and finance committee on May 28 that her office recently filled a code-enforcement/building-inspector position and is continuing higher permit volumes and several new inspection programs.

Ofanos said the department’s new inspector “has been doing a phenomenal job” and credited the hire with allowing staff to follow up on initial complaints. She told councilors permits and plan reviews have risen with several multiunit projects on the way; she also noted the upcoming adoption of a new (10th edition) building code and additional annual inspections for short-term rentals under the new requirements.

Ofanos outlined line-item changes including modest increases for utilities and contracted elevator maintenance (she said Otis elevator maintenance was shifted to the Inspectional Services budget, adding about $18,000), and a small request for safety gear tied to the new inspector. She said cameras at the Community Life Center were rebid and are expected to start in the coming weeks.

On short-term rentals, Ofanos said the new code will require annual inspections for rented units and that the department must coordinate with public-health staff to schedule those renewals; she estimated the new requirement “is going to increase a lot of our staff time” and described a hypothetical workload if several hundred short-term rentals require annual inspection.

Councilors asked about converting heating at 93 Washington Street because of high oil costs; Ofanos said she and facilities staff have discussed options with the sustainability team and “we will make sure that they look at this and see if it'd be worth going that route,” but she also noted the city’s ordinance limits gas conversions in municipal buildings.

Capital items tied to Inspectional Services and Public Property included a $30,000 request to relocate offices at the annex, a $1,000,000 federal earmark request for the OnPoint building rehabilitation (staff said they are pursuing federal and state grant options and using local ARPA funds for design), and $25,000 for security alarm upgrades. Ofanos said the OnPoint project is intended to relocate the Parent Information Center and provide community space if funding is secured.

Councilor Stott moved to recommend approval of the Building, Plumbing and Gas Inspectors personnel budget ($862,499) and expenditures ($67,840) for a department total of $930,399; Councilor Harvey seconded and Chair Merkel recorded four hands plus his own in favor. The committee also recommended approval of Public Property fixed-cost expenditures ($743,309) and Zoning Board of Appeals expenditures ($1,200) in separate motions, each moved by Stott and seconded by Harvey.

Ofanos and councilors emphasized communication and education efforts to make the permit process easier, with planned FAQ material for a new website and coordination with planning and sustainability staff on the energy code and short-term rental enforcement.