San Diego city attorney launches new housing protection unit
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) -- The San Diego city attorney's office has launched a new effort to protect tenants.
On Wednesday, San Diego City Attorney Heather Ferbert announced the launch of the Housing Protection and Civil Code Compliance Unit (HPU).
The new unit will be aimed at issues pertaining to housing and code violations, including repeated noncompliance to the city's tenant protection and short-term residential occupancy ordinances.
The unit will "pursue legal action against repeat violators" as part of its goal to ensure that San Diegans have access to safe housing options that meet legal standards, according to city officials.
Ferbert said creating the unit involved shifting some of the deputies who were previously assigned to the criminal division of her office so they could work with civil matters.
"We've learned over the last several years that civil penalties are much more effective at getting compliance and the goal is compliance," she said. "The goal is safe, healthy housing for people, not to punish people, not to tear down housing...If they're in the business of offering housing, it needs to be safe."
People can fill out an online request for service to notify the HPU of any of the following issues:
- Boarded or abandoned property
- Drug dealers or drug abusers
- Fire hazards
- Gangs
- Graffiti
- Illegal business or other zoning violation
- Illegal trash dumping
- Noise
- Parking
- Prostitution
- Substandard housing
- Water theft
In addition to the aforementioned issues, community members may also report other concerns related to housing.
