Recently, Compliance Connections was proud to serve as a co-sponsor along with Safeguard Properties and the American Association of Code Enforcement (AACE) for an exclusive scholarship opportunity open to active code enforcement professionals to attend this year’s upcoming National Property Preservation Conference (NPPC).
Since beginning in 2004, the NPPC has served as a premier platform for leaders, servicers and investors from across the mortgage industry gather to discuss current topics and develop solutions for the future. Through communication and teamwork, the event works to build consensus and establish standards for policies and services. Now in its 15th year, the conference will be taking place November 3-5 in Washington, D.C.
As our next featured 2019 scholarship recipient, Inspector (III) Joe Brewer has worked with the City of Hyattsville, Md., for almost 14 years.
Like our other participants, Joe was required to complete three essay questions to be considered for one of five available packages. See his winning answers below.
How did the housing crisis in 2008 change the role of a code enforcement officer?
I began my employment with the City of Hyattsville, Md., in December of 2005. During this time, the housing market was continuing to flourish and mortgages were being handed out left and right. Prices were high and the community was excited that Hyattsville was becoming an up and coming small town in our county.
When the housing crisis hit, I dealt with violations that became major investments in my time. Included were vacant properties with owners that had abandoned them, properties being broken into, and neighbors frustrated by the blight and neglect from these now vacant houses. I had to become a sleuth at trying to obtain owner information and make attempts to expedite how we handled these types of properties to ensure they were maintained to the minimum standard of the code. We placed many tax liens against these properties for times when we had to contract out the exterior repairs, grass cutting, and snow shoveling. My court case load became much more full due to the amount of cases with vacant properties I was now handling.Ten years since the housing crisis, the economy is improving, and mortgage default rates are declining. Have you noticed an improvement in your community? Be specific.
While housing prices have again become astronomical in our area near Washington D.C., personally, I see many signs of an impending downturn in the housing market. When it becomes normal to pay almost half a million dollars for a small town bungalow, you have to wonder how long this type of spending and market can last. While default rates may be declining, the government has also loosened the laws that were put in place for who and how much could be afforded by a potential buyer. We have again returned to "keeping up with the Joneses'" and have forgotten about the previous housing crisis. During the current economic boom, our town has reaped the benefits of new development and increased tax revenue.What is your biggest frustration when attempting to enforce code on residential properties?
The biggest frustration is often trying to explain the process of correcting a violation to a complainant. It is frustrating for both the inspector and neighbor because our inspectors obviously can't personally go and correct a violation, as we rely on the court system to allow us to abate a violation. Neighbors who may be frustrated by trash in a neighboring yard become more frustrated knowing I have to issue a warning notice, hope for compliance, wait for the compliance date to pass, issue a citation, request a court date, await the court date, and finally hope the judge is in a good mood to allow the infraction to be abated so I can obtain a contractor to correct the violation. We are often at the mercy of our county court system.
Aside from his code enforcement duties, Joe keeps very busy with a number of interesting hobbies. Included is a passion for collecting and restoring vintage arcade and pinball machines, which has culminated into a private arcade that boasts 21 machines (Brewer’s Arcade: facebook.com/brewersarcade) and has caught the attention of The Washington Post. He also is the lead singer/guitarist for D.C. rock band Unring the Bell (facebook.com/unringthebell).
Congratulations, Joe! We appreciate everything that you do to serve your community.