Mary Kemerling takes pride in her neighborhood, which is what motivated her to attend a city of Elgin Code Compliance meeting to talk about code issues and how to resolve those issues.
“I love my neighborhood. We take pride in our home,” said Kemerling, a 30-year Elgin resident. “I want everyone to take as much pride as we do.”
Her neighborhood, in the Valley Creek subdivision, has a few issues — such as commercial trucks parked in private property and fences not maintained. Kemerling got some direction from Community Development Director Marc Mylott, whose department is trying to educate residents and property owners about city codes.
“I made the effort to come out and become educated,” Kemerling said.
It is a message city officials are trying to stress as Elgin shifts its code enforcement efforts toward a new model, one that emphasizes education and compliance rather than a complaint based model, Community Development Director Marc Mylott said.
“We take any opportunity for education,” Mylott said. “We look at it as an investment to prevent future problems.”
The recent meeting was meant to help officials understand what residents identify as code issues. City officials asked residents in attendance to fill out a survey listing categories with issues such as peeling paint on homes, overcrowding, commercial vehicles parked on private properties, unmaintained fences and keeping holiday decorations up too long. Residents ranked the issues in their neighborhood and throughout the city.
Results from the survey will be used as the foundation of a Code Compliance Academy the city is developing, officials said. The academy is expected to launch in March, Mylott said.
“You will get a sense, a flavor of what we deal with on a regular basis,” Mylott told the crowd.
Overcrowding was one of the issues audience members asked about, specifically how code inspection officers identity situations in homes where there is overcrowding. Mylott said those situations are difficult and there is no one easy answer. Inspectors often talk to neighbors and sometimes do surveillance. Some signs are lots of garbage cans, cars parked on grass and lots of people coming in and out, he said.
Mylott said anyone concerned about a code violation, like overcrowding, can contact the city’s 311 line or contact the department directly via email. The department has 7 inspectors, two who work on rental properties, so inspectors need residents’ help to identify problems, he said.
“We are always looking to solve the problem,” Mylott said, adding finding a solution is more cost efficient than going to court over violations.
The department does have other tools, including going to court, he said. There are cases that warrant that action, such as a property on S. Gifford Avenue which the city has tried to resolve for a while, he said. The goal is to get compliance without having to take extreme measures, he said.
Code Compliance has launched a social media campaign, “Did you know?” about code issues and officials have reached out to neighborhood groups to explain what it does, Mylott said.
“Strengthening our neighborhoods is a top priority in Elgin,” Mylott said. “Providing opportunities for education about how we expect properties to be maintained helps protect property values and enhances the quality of life for our residents.”
Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
