Department of Building Inspection Annual Report

2. Maintaining Habitable Housing Through Existing Grant Programs Over the last two decades, DBI has been instrumental in providing resources to tenants to ensure habitable housing conditions. These services have been provided through community based organizations, tenant advocacy groups and the San Francisco Apartment's Association. Code Enforcement Outreach Program QUICK FACTS Over 6,000 households in 18,000 apartment buildings were assisted city-wide with most residents living in the Mission, Tenderloin and Chinatown neighborhoods. Type of issues addressed in residential rental housing: • • • • Lack of heat and hot water Adequate toilet and shower facilities Water damage and sewage leaks Adequate egress and smoke alarms For the past 19 years, DBI’s Code Enforcement Outreach Program (CEOP) has provided assistance and resources to tenants to improve living conditions by providing an improved communication mechanism between tenants and landlords. Created by the BIC in 1996, CEOP is DBI's grantee program that consists of San Francisco’s neighborhood-based, non-profit organizations and the San Francisco Apartment's Association. The goal of this program is to bring existing housing units into code compliance and to achieve the abatement of violations prior to having to call upon the involvement of DBI and/or the City Attorney’s Office. Grantees provide community outreach coordination, counseling, and mediation assistance. These services are available to all San Francisco rental property owners and tenants, including those who are not members of the partner agencies. CEOP has resulted in better, faster service to clients while allowing DBI to use its time and resources on other enforcement services and programs. This can save property owners money by resolving problems before fines are assessed and attorney fees are necessary. Program Participants: • Chinatown Community Development Corporation • Housing Rights Committee of San Francisco 12 • Causa Justa / Just Cause DBI FY 2014 – 2015 Annual Report • Tenderloin Housing Clinic

Department of Building Inspection Annual Report | Page 12