TULSA, OKLA. -- Nuisance complaints come in from all over the city and are usually placed in a queue. In city’s like Jackson, Miss., code enforcement is required to address complaints in the chronological order of 3-1-1 reports. That city is moving forward with an ambitious open data initiative and hopes to use data-driven maps to prioritize complaints associated with blight.
Earlier this year in Tulsa, Okla., code enforcement was running a 45-day backlog. In April, Tulsa actually ran out of money to address nuisance complaints, Dwain Midget, Tulsa’s director of community development and transportation, told Tulsa World.
But with the start of the new fiscal year in July, and a hiring freeze lifted, Midget’s office has jump-started code enforcement with a holistic plan.
The city has reallocated its staff to nuisance hot spots, rather than by council district. Tulsa used to manage nuisance violations by zone, which spread out staff and reduced the team’s productivity. Now the city addresses all violations in an area before moving on in the backlog.
Next, the city plans to cross-train police and fire personnel to identify code violations.
“This time next year, it’ll be in full swing. Citizens and neighborhoods will see a more refined, efficient process.”
