Title
Provide a six-month status update for the Garage Conversion Amnesty Program.
Body
REQUESTOR:
Councilman Roger Neal
BACKGROUND:
On July 17, 2024, the City Council approved the Garage Conversion Amnesty Program to help property owners bring non-permitted garage conversions into compliance without incurring the high costs of re-conversion. The program expires on January 31, 2026. Under the program, homeowners can apply for a permit by submitting a property survey (or similar documentation) along with a floor plan. Once submitted, City staff reviews the documents and processes the application to the inspection stage.
A City Building Inspector conducts a site visit to assess any major life or safety concerns within the conversion area. If no significant issues are identified, the permit is issued, and the homeowner achieves compliance. Should any major issues arise, staff works closely with the homeowner to address them, conduct a follow-up inspection, and approve the permit once the concerns are resolved.
DISCUSSION:
At the six-month milestone, the program has received 62 applications out of 1,035 identified unpermitted conversions. Of these, three inspections have revealed life and safety concerns requiring corrective action.
To promote the program, City staff distributed flyers to the known addresses of unpermitted conversions and included informational inserts with all city water bills. Additionally, the program has been promoted across the City’s social media platforms and website.
To further increase participation, staff will expand outreach efforts. This includes sending an additional round of flyers to the remaining unpermitted properties and deploying door hangers at the nine-month mark. Staff will also share program information at upcoming City events to engage with the community directly and encourage broader participation.
DISTRICT:
Citywide
ATTACHMENT(S):
1. Presentation