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Council hears that DPW enforcement surge is driving much of OAH's backlog
Summary
OAH testified that nearly half of new filings came from the Department of Public Works (DPW), driven by sweep and trash-bin enforcement; many of those cases become uncontested defaults, creating a large pool of unadjudicated matters that strain resources.
During questioning, OAH and witnesses highlighted that a substantial share of OAH's filings originate with the Department of Public Works. Chief Judge Curry said "nearly 48% of all cases filed at OAH in fiscal year 'twenty 5 were notices of violation issued by the Department of Public Works," and OAH testified that DPW filings rose from about 11,458 to 21,092 year over year. Advocacy witnesses and OAH staff said many DPW matters are defaults (no answer from respondents) and that agency-driven surges in enforcement require parallel increases in adjudicatory and clerk capacity.
Witnesses recommended that the Council and enforcement agencies coordinate upstream — for example, DPW could adjust enforcement or invest in notice and service practices to reduce legally deficient filings — and asked OAH for more granular data by regulation and disposition so targeted remedies can be developed. The committee signaled interest in follow-up on which DPW violation codes are most frequently cited and the rate at which DPW citations are sustained or dismissed.
