City needs to get code compliance up to snuff

Editorial

Dallas Morning News Friday, November 16, 2007

Each year during budget season, Dallas City Council members conduct a listening tour of sorts. They ask constituents, how should we spend your tax dollars?

And each year, one answer remains the same: code enforcement.

As one resident told Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway during a September town hall meeting, "Code compliance is killing the city."

From high weeds to junked-out vacant lots to stray dogs roaming the streets, minor problems left unchecked have become a major drag on neighborhoods, particularly in southern Dallas.

The budget for this fiscal year provided scant hope for improvement, as the city added little more than a couple of animal control officers. The recent departures of both the code enforcement director and his boss only seem to compound the department's woes.

But this time of transition could provide just the opportunity to make long-term fixes.

To her credit, City Manager Mary Suhm recognizes the need for bold changes. More of the same won't cut it, she says.

Her plan for improving code compliance is untested. But Ms. Suhm made a smart decision when she installed City Hall's turnaround artist, Forest Turner, as the interim code boss and charged him with making significant changes.

The city manager estimates that Mr. Turner will need six to eight months to assess and restructure code enforcement. This long-suffering department won't be transformed instantly, but changes must come within months – not a year or more.

City officials recognize that reining in code violations requires a more sophisticated approach that goes beyond writing tickets. Compliance issues often spill over into the housing, police and planning areas of city government. Accordingly, those departments must have a more formal role in code enforcement.

Simply sending more code officers to the streets isn't the only answer. But ultimately, more manpower will be needed, as well.

During the last round of town hall budget meetings, Ms. Suhm told residents she saw little value in adding staff members before resolving larger problems with turnover and performance. The city manager and Mr. Turner should commit to accomplishing that before next summer's budget talks begin.

Then, when residents resume the annual call for a well funded, fully staffed code compliance department, the city might actually be positioned to deliver it.

Courtesy of the Dallas Morning News, Friday, November 16, 2007 Edition
Editorial Opinions of the Dallas Morning News can be found on the Dallas Morning News Editorial Page