Code Compliance

Announcement of Stakeholder Meetings for the "Residential Rental Registration Program"

The Code Compliance Department of the City of Austin is soliciting input from individuals and groups with interest regarding the development of a draft rental registration program to present to City Council. The City Council passed a resolution on July 23, 2009 directing staff to work with interested stakeholders to develop a program to register residential rental units. Stakeholder input will be considered in the development of a draft program.

Stakeholder Meeting #2

Date: To be announced
Time: 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Location: 1520 Rutherford Lane, Bldg 1, 1st Floor Training Room

If you are unable to attend this meeting, please forward information to: Code Compliance Department, c/o Matthew Christianson, P.O. Box 1088, Austin, Tx., 78767-1088 or via e-mail: matt.christianson@ci.austin.tx.us

City codes protect the health, safety and quality of life of Austin residents. Solid Waste Services enforces many of these codes.

Common Code Violations

Click on any of the links below for general information about the violation.

• Adult-Oriented Businesses
• Apartments/Rentals in Substandard Condition
• Businesses and Industry
• Construction or Remodeling without a Permit
• Dangerous Structures
• Fences
• Fire Damaged Buildings
• Garage Sales
• Garbage Carts Left at the Curb
• Illegal Dumping
• Junk & Accumulated Rubbish
• Mobile Vendor on Private Property
• Number of People Living in a Residence
• Running a Business from Home
• Signs
• Stagnant Water
• Storage of Vehicles
• Swimming Pools
• Tree Limbs Blocking Right-of-Way
• Weeds/Grass over 12 inches

How to File a Complaint

Most code compliance cases are initiated by Austin residents. If you suspect a code violation in your neighborhood, please report it to Code Enforcement by calling 3-1-1 or by filing a complaint online. Once filed, a service request will be created for Code Enforcement and the matter will be investigated. If a problem reoccurs after having been corrected, please report the problem again.

Our Process

Once a complaint is filed, our investigators visit the site and confirm that a code violation is present. Then investigators may send a Notice of Violation to the property owners or issue a citation. The owners have a set amount of time to correct the violation. If property owners do not comply, Code Enforcement may take any of the following actions depending on the situation:

• Hire contractors to clean property, secure dangerous buildings or demolish dangerous buildings. Property owners will be billed for the labor plus an administrative fee.
• File criminal charges in municipal court.
• Place liens on property for unpaid bills.
• File a civil suit.
• Present housing cases to the Building and Standards Commission. The commission may issue repair orders with fines attached or a demolition order for non-compliance.

Timeline and Fines

An investigator usually visits the property within two business days. There is considerable variation in the time it takes before compliance is achieved depending upon the complexity of the case.

A conviction in criminal court carries fines of up to $2000 per violation.

Mission Statement

Our mission is to attain compliance with City codes regarding land use regulations and the maintenance of structures and premises through education, cooperation, enforcement and abatement to achieve a cleaner, healthier and safer City.

City Code

You may browse Austin’s Code of Ordinances at American Legal Publishing Corporation's web site.