WHO WE ARE:
The Complaints & Violations Section is comprised of a Supervising Building Inspector, field inspectors and administrative staff. We respond to complaints from various sources including the County Information Center, the Nuisance Response Team, the Board of Supervisors, staff and the general public. We research, investigate and resolve complaints to maintain and improve the quality and safety of construction in our community.
We enforce all of the California State Building*, Electrical*, Plumbing* and Mechanical* Codes^, California Administrative Code*^, Sacramento County Administrative Code* and the Sacramento Nuisance Code* which are all a part of the Sacramento County Code*, Chapter (Title) 16* that are pertinent to the construction industry.
TYPES OF COMPLAINTS INVESTIGATED:
- Work in progress without benefit of permit
- Work completed without benefit of permit
Examples: New bedroom addition, remodel of a restaurant, reroofs & patio covers and garage conversions.
- Change in Use or Occupancy without benefit of permit
Examples: Warehouse to office space, warehouse to church, storage to smog shop and dwelling to commercial use.
TO REPORT A POSSIBLE VIOLATION, CONTACT:
Sacramento County Information Center - (916) 875-5656
THE PROCESS:
When a referral is received, we verify if the property owner has a permit. If the situation requires a permit, a property background report is generated from the County Assessor's Office to determine current ownership. A field Inspector will visit the site to assess whether a violation exists. If a violation exists, a Notice of Violation (NOV) or an Order to Stop Work is issued at the site and/or mailed to the current property owner.
Notices of Violation or Stop Work Orders are processed as soon as possible. A compliance case is started and a parcel tag is placed against the property reflecting the Code Violation cited. In situations requiring more in-depth research, the Records Department researches the historical archives, and /or the Assessor's Office. Other research may include examination of historical aerial photos or more recent photos. Our Complaints & Violations section works with all relevant County departments to investigate complaints.
If a property does not show progress towards compliance within a prescribed period, a lien may be placed against the property, which will cloud the title and stop any attempt to refinance or sell the property. If the property is found to still not have a permit or has not removed the violation, a Code Violation Courtesy Notice may be sent. This advises the owner of the consequences of failing to address the matter and may include filing against the owner through the Sacramento County Counsel's Office or the District Attorney's Office, or both, for legal action.
When the required permit addressing the Violation is submitted, the case is placed on hold. The parcel tag is removed, the data system is updated, and the entire file is closed once the permit is Finaled.
* May not be the current adopted code. There is a lag time between code adoption and the time it takes for the code to go online.
^ Sacramento County uses the latest California code edition.