TULSA, Okla. — No one wants to live next to an overgrown, weedy yard or one heaped with trash.
These things prompt lots of calls and emails to Tulsa's 311 center from neighbors making complaints about these potential code enforcement violations.
When neighbors of a home across from Expo Square called in complaints, they got a surprise. The 311 operators said the City has such a big backlog of these complaints that it is currently taking 60 to 90 days after a complaint is made for a code inspector to check it out.
"It doesn't seem acceptable, Camille Zumwalt told 2 News. "It just seems like perhaps our mayor or city councilors or someone within the city of Tulsa, perhaps, should look into this and look into the process, and perhaps more code enforcement people are needed to be hired if there's such a backlog."
As of mid-June, the City told 2 News it had a backlog of 1,895 priority 3 code enforcement cases. These are its lowest priority and include things like high weeds and heaps of trash.
See Tulsa's Code Enforcement Priority list
When we did a similar story last July the priority 3 backlog was bigger; just over 2,300 cases. At that time, we were told it was because there were only 13 inspectors.
"I would just really hope the city would pay attention and maybe relook at how it's currently done and how it could be improved," said Zumwalt.
In its statement, the City said:
We are in the full swing of the growing season right now and 311 is advising citizens of 60-90 days for the first inspection on those cases. This volume of Priority 3 cases is common this time of year, and as in all cases, wait time are adjusted based on call volume... This time of year we rely heavily on our neighborhood associations to assist us in the pre-notification process. Our neighborhood liaisons are equipped with pre-notice letters that we give to neighborhood associations to distribute in their neighborhoods when problems arise. These pre-notices help with early notifications that there may be a problem, alerting homeowners to potential code violations allowing them time remediate issues before they go to the City's system"
The City also launched the Neighborhood Academy. It provides information and resources for effecting change in neighborhoods. This summer, the first cohort will graduate.
2 News also contacted the property owner. She said she has a lawn man and would let us know more later. We'll add that information when it becomes available.
Click here to connect with Tulsa code enforcement.
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