Mesquite, TX – December 3, 2019 – Nine out of every ten Mesquite property owners are eager to fix issues that are not in compliance with ordinances or safety standards set forth by the city. The efforts to provide a balance of education and enforcement regarding a strong code compliance program are creating successes between the city and the community.
Director of Neighborhood Services, Maria Martinez, said, “Our voluntary compliance with those found in violation of a code violation is at 89%. That means, Mesquite property owners we contact are positively responding to code notices and are working with our staff to understand the violations and find solutions to fix those issues. That’s fantastic. That is what we want.”
In a presentation to City Council, Martinez indicated the top violations continue to be high grass, overhanging limbs, trash, junk or debris and landscaping maintenance. Martinez noted that consistent and reliable customer service by city staff has been a fundamental part of their success. The City Council has “Attractive Neighborhoods” as one of the top strategic goals. One of the objectives within that goal is for city staff to establish an ongoing education program on property maintenance and appearance regulation. View the presentation to City Council. Watch the video of the presentation to City Council.
Volunteers through the city’s Code Ambassadors program continue to play an important role in code enforcement. They assist the city staff in the code enforcement process. In the fourth quarter of 2019, from July to September, Code Ambassadors identified 767 violations compared to 297 during the same period in 2018. And, the voluntary compliance by property owners nearly tripled in the most recent quarter compared to last year.
There is an orientation scheduled for Jan. 30 for the next round of training for new citizen volunteers interested in participating in the Code Ambassador program. To register, the public can call Neighborhood Services at 972-329-8704.
