Fresno County moves code enforcement to CAO, adds officers and managers to reduce backlog
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Summary
The Board approved assigning operational management of the county code enforcement program to the County Administrative Office, added five enforcement officers and new management positions and directed quarterly status reports; the change follows a reported backlog of unresolved cases and aims to improve responsiveness.
The Board of Supervisors on April 22 approved a reorganization of Fresno County’s code enforcement program, shifting operational management from Public Works and Planning to the County Administrative Office and adding staff to accelerate responses to complaints and reduce a backlog of unresolved cases.
Matt Constantine of the County Administrative Office summarized the proposal and said the March briefing on interim steps showed early improvements. Constantine said the permanent changes approved by the board include: formally assigning the program to the County Administrative Office; adding five code enforcement officers (to double the current allocation of five); creating a code enforcement division manager; and converting a vacant office assistant position into a staff analyst. Constantine said the board asked staff to return with a permanent facility location after evaluating options.
Supervisor Magsig moved for staff’s recommendation and added a requirement that staff provide quarterly updates to the board; the motion passed unanimously. Several supervisors praised the program’s early progress and urged continued transparency. One speaker from the Sunnyside Property Owners Association read a submitted letter noting the county’s backlog of about 1,866 outstanding cases dating to 2017 and urging sustained funding for enforcement, improved public tracking, and stronger penalties for noncompliance.
What passed: the board instructed staff to proceed with the CAO assignment, approved the staffing changes (division manager, staff analyst, five additional enforcement officers) and authorized the CAO to implement the reorganization; supervisors requested quarterly status reports to monitor case backlog and performance indicators.
Context and constraints: speakers noted that the city of Fresno’s enforcement model includes city attorneys prosecuting code violations as infractions, a capacity the county does not currently mirror; county council provides a contracted attorney (Kyle Roberson) who works with the code team but county staff said the need for additional legal resources will depend on caseload as the program expands. Several supervisors recommended returning in three months for another update but accepted quarterly reporting.
Ending: Constantine said staff will return with updates and that the CAO will coordinate with County Counsel on enforcement and appeal processes. Sunnyside representatives urged the board to appropriate funds in the coming budget to sustain the program.
