Property and Codes Enforcement
Our mission is to monitor and enforce City of Reading ordinances related to Housing, Codes, Public Health, and Quality of Life. This is accomplished through the following initiatives:
- Housing Process by administering rental and vacant permits and completing regular inspections to enforce Reading’s adoption of the International Property Maintenance Code. Inspections are scheduled by a computer that moves systematically through the City to complete each cycle of inspections.
- Complaints and Sweeps respond to code concerns found outside of the inspection cycle. Complaints should be recorded with the Citizen’s Service Center at 1-877-727-3234 and are investigated by an inspector promptly. Sweeps are conducted regularly by inspectors and result in Notices of Violations being issued to property owners with code concerns.
- The Health Office issues permits for restaurants, laundromats, food vendors, and vending machines and conducts regular inspections for food producers and providers. The Health Office also evaluates citizens who apply for handicapped parking through appointments with the City’s Health Officer.
- Utilize the Quality of Life Program to encourage a clean, welcoming atmosphere to live and do business. This strategy involves immediate tickets, similar to parking tickets, which increase according to the number of instances per property in a given year.
- Certificate of Transfer and Health & Safety Inspections are an important aspect of property sales in the City. The Seller must apply for a Certificate of Transfer before selling the property and give the property packet including summary sheets to the buyer before sale. The Health & Safety Inspection, which ensures code compliance, is required by may be conducted by the Buyer or the Seller. The Certificate of Transfer is necessary for all properties sold in the City regardless of use, however there are limited exemptions for the Health & Safety Inspection.
- Coordinate Blighted hearings by investigating deteriorated properties, scheduling hearings, issuing notices, and gathering information to reflect the blight concerns. This is for properties which have noted concerns and is used to encourage the property owner to rehabilitate. The goal is to encourage the owner to rehabilitate the property to promote the health, safety, and welfare of the community.
