1. To remove a blight or Code violation in the City of Oakland—such as overgrown weeds in someone’s yard, or a house with broken windows—first determine whether it is possible or preferable to talk directly to the property owner about your concerns. Understand that by calling the City, a process may be set in motion that could eventually cost the property owner thousands of dollars in fines and penalties.
2. To involve the City, call the Community & Economic Development Agency’s Code Enforcement unit at (510) 238-3381. A staff member will ask you for information regarding the property address and the type of violation that you have observed. A Code Enforcement Inspector will be sent to the address within the next three to five business days. If the blight is inaccessible because it is inside the house, or in a locked backyard, the process will be delayed while the inspector obtains a warrant to enter the premises.
3. If the inspector determines that the property is blighted, as defined by the Oakland Municipal Code, a “Notice to Abate” letter will be sent immediately to the property owner. This letter will alert the property owner that he or she has a certain number of days to “abate,” or remove the blight—usually ten days.
4. The inspector will return to the property 16–30 days after the Notice was sent, to determine whether the blight has been abated. If it has not, the person will be fined $801 (or the prevailing fee established in the City’s current Master Fee Schedule). If the person has complied with the Notice, there will be no fine.
5. If the property owner does not comply, the City will clean up the property as soon as possible. Usually, completing the cleanup takes several weeks, depending on the problems encountered in working with the property owner. The costs that the City incurs in cleaning the property will be added to the original $801 fine.
6. If the property owner cannot or will not pay the fines, then the property will be liened. After one year, or when the property is sold or changes ownership, the fines will be transferred to the owner’s property taxes.
