In order to ensure healthy, vital neighborhoods, Transform Temple attempts to prevent or eliminate health safety or aesthetic problems throughout the City. Rather than relying on punitive measures to resolve code violations, Transform Temple works with owners and residents to bring violations into compliance. As such, certain types of cases stay open for extended periods of time. As of November 2022, approximately 8% of the cases opened in FY 2022 were still open.
The three most common code violations are Parking on the Grass, Junk & Debris, and High Grass—with High Grass cases spiking in the spring and fall. The spike in code compliance cases in April and May 2022 can be attributed to the rise in High Grass cases. High Grass cases are the easiest to identify and the easiest to remedy since Transform Temple has its own mowing crew.
Transform Temple is dedicated to the timely resolution of code compliance cases. Approximately one-third of all cases opened in FY 2022 were resolved in two weeks or less. Over half of all cases were resolved in under a month.
Certain types of cases take much longer to resolve. For example, rather than fining homeowners for violations related to Substandard Housing, Transform Temple agents work with homeowners to develop and carry out plans to remedy violations. This approach not only ensures a safe and healthy environment for the homeowner, but also the surrounding neighborhood. By using this approach, it is not unusual for some cases to take six months to a year to resolve; however, once resolved, experience dictates that these cases have a lower likelihood of reoccurring.
Transform Temple aims to proactively identify and resolve code violations before they are reported by citizens. With a limited number of code compliance officers, this is not always possible; therefore, the City has invested in technological resources to make it easier for citizens to report health and safety concerns to City staff. All code violations can be reported by phone at 254.298.5670, email at codecompliance@templetx.gov, or through the online or mobile application Track Temple.
