City Council approves expansion of Code Watch, directs funds to Volunteer Bureau

The Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved a motion to expand the Code Watch neighborhood volunteer program and transfer funding to the city's Volunteer Bureau, council members said Friday.

Councilmember Chick said the program trains residents to spot visible code violations and helps prompt voluntary compliance. "Code watch is a program that gives very, brief but thorough training to residents, to volunteers out in the city who care about their communities and their neighborhoods," Chick said during discussion. The council voted 12-0 to approve item 16.

The vote follows council remarks that Code Watch reduces blight, saves taxpayer dollars and achieves high rates of voluntary compliance. "We're getting a very, very high percentage rate of voluntary compliance that when property owners get the letters from the city saying, you've got a problem ... we're finding that most people want to be good neighbors and are quickly remedying the problem," Chick said.

A staff speaker identified as Zakowski confirmed the Volunteer Bureau will coordinate the program and provide training and outreach while continuing to involve Building and Safety inspectors. "Clearly, this is being coordinated by the Volunteer Bureau, and that's where the staff is to do the training and do the outreach," Zakowski said, noting the department of Building and Safety continues to participate in training volunteers and enforcement sweeps.

Councilmember Wax urged broader expansion tied to neighborhood councils and next year's budget, saying the program "is working here" and could be scaled through volunteer networks to deliver substantial service at low cost.

Council discussion highlighted an ongoing pilot and a planned outreach model that pairs volunteers, chambers of commerce and homeowners associations with Building and Safety staff to pursue voluntary compliance before formal enforcement. Councilmembers said the transfer of funds to the Volunteer Bureau is intended to expand outreach and training.

The motion before the council authorized the program expansion and the transfer of related funds to the Volunteer Bureau; the Department of Building and Safety will continue to provide technical guidance and inspections as needed. The council took the roll call and recorded 12 ayes, approving item 16.

Next steps discussed included outreach to recruit volunteers and coordination with neighborhood groups; council members said the initiative could fit into future budget planning for wider expansion.