Code enforcement is a vital piece of effective housing policy, playing a role in both residents’ health and safety and in the cost of providing and maintaining housing. Local code enforcement agencies generally enforce residential dwelling standards contained in both housing codes, which cover safety and quality standards for dwelling units, among other tenant protections and building codes, which cover the construction and maintenance of the physical structures more broadly. In a new policy brief, Cracking Code Enforcement: How Cities Approach Housing Standards, Sophie House of the NYU Furman Center’s Housing Solutions Lab explores how code enforcement and compliance are handled in different jurisdictions.
Through analysis of 40 different cities of varying sizes and geography, as well as communication with stakeholder groups in local government, research, and affordable housing provision, the brief explores three different dimensions that shape code enforcement: a regime’s relative emphasis on neighborhood quality or individual tenant protections; use of proactive or reactive enforcement mechanisms; and reliance on collaborative or punitive engagement. CONTINUE READING
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