Code enforcement reports 324 housing cases since Aug. 2024; committee reviews transparency dashboard

County code enforcement told the committee that since August 2024 it has opened 324 housing cases, with the majority resolved by warning notices. "For the housing cases that we've we've had since August of 2024, uh we've had 324 total housing cases," the code enforcement speaker said.

Staff said 288 of those cases were closed by warning notices, 32 remained active and four had been resolved by citation. Inspectors described that exterior patrols can prompt interior inspections only after tenant permission or where probable cause exists; interior habitability inspections require access permission from the occupant.

To address concerns about transparency and repetitive status inquiries, staff showed a Lawrenceville example of a publicly accessible dashboard that maps complaints, shows complaint disposition and indicates whether cases were complaint-driven or the result of patrols. Staff said the county likely can build a similar tool using existing licensed systems if they are integrated with GIS to automate updates and minimize manual staff input.

The committee discussed resource implications and directed staff to explore automated data merges and low-barrier public displays; staff estimated that outreach materials and initial dashboard work could be accommodated with existing resources, though a voluntary registry would require more staffing to administer.