Voluntary Compliance – A Pre-Enforcement Framework for Healthy Housing Dale Hagen
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Transcript of Voluntary Compliance – A Pre-Enforcement Framework for Healthy Housing Dale Hagen
Voluntary Compliance – A Pre-Enforcement
Framework for Healthy HousingDale Hagen
Alameda County Healthy Homes Department
Basics of Voluntary Compliance
• Assessment and Documentation• Owner Notification and Engagement• Technical Advisement• Compliance Monitoring
Why Try Voluntary Compliance
1. To get something done when– Enforcement is not an option– Enforcement is not the first option– Enforcement is not the best option
Why Try Voluntary Compliance
2. Give owners a chance to fix problems
3. Engage both parties-Tenants and Owners
4. Due diligence before reaching for enforcement help
5. Document Patterns of Behavior and Non-Responsiveness
Why Try Voluntary Compliance
5. Document the need and extent of the problem
- Type of Problem
- Geographic Area
6. Gather information on impact of problem on families and vulnerable populations
• Lead Poisoned Children• Unsafe Renovations (Lead)• Advancing Safe and Healthy Housing
for Children and Families (ASHHI)• Mold
Voluntary Compliance in Alameda County Programs
Lead
Voluntary Compliance:How We Got Started
• Alameda County Lead Poisoning Prevention Program– Public Health Nursing– Environmental Health Specialists– Outreach and Education Team– Housing Professionals– Enforcement through Environmental Health
• Case Review Working Group– Interdisciplinary Meetings– Technical Assistance– Compliance Monitoring
Voluntary Compliance:How We Got Started
Technical Advisement andCompliance Monitoring
• Notify and establish deadlines• Assigned Housing Specialist• Persistent follow-up• Interdisciplinary Review
• Initially:– Enforcement referrals limited– Lengthy process
• 2000 Median: 224 days to closure• 2011-14 Median: 88 days to closure
– Enforcement referrals ~1-2 per year
Impact-Lead Hazards
• Based on resources available– Triage by level of presumed hazard
• Voluntary compliance model– Owner notification w/deadlines– Technical advisement– Compliance monitoring
• Interdisciplinary Team review
Next Step: Expansion of EBL Response
Actions/Services 15+ 7-14 5-6Parent Notification X X XServices/Referrals X X XHome Visit X X Nursing Case Management X
Environmental Investigation X
Visual Survey XTechnical Advisement X x
Compliance Monitoring X x
Enforcement Referral X x
EBL Response-Triaged
Voluntary Compliance Elements
• Intake and Assessment• On-Site Assessment• Owner Engagement• Technical Advisement and
Compliance Monitoring• Enforcement Referral
– Where available and appropriate
Owner Engagement
• Notification• Connect to Health and Codes• Promote Urgency or Deadline• Offer Assistance
Voluntary Compliance-What Will You Do?
TRIAGE:• Engagement Criteria
– What will you respond to?• Response Criteria
– How will you respond (level of resources)• Closure Criteria
– How will you know when you are done?
Developing Criteria: Engagement Criteria and Level of Response
• Available Resources and Services• Severity
– Extent– Immediacy
• Vulnerable Populations– Lead: Children, child-care, school, EBL– Mold: Asthmatic or respiratory distress
What Will You Do? Response Options
• Advice• Notification and Technical Assistance• Site Assessment and Documentation• Compliance Monitoring• Enforcement Referrals
Assessment Criteria
• Visual or Testing?– Lead:
• EBL 15+: Environmental Test• EBL 7-14: Home Visit Visual-Presume• Unsafe Renovation: Visual-Presume
– Mold: Visual
Unsafe Renovation (Lead)
Review-Voluntary Compliance Elements
• Intake and Assessment• On-Site Assessment• Owner Engagement• Technical Advisement and
Compliance Monitoring• Enforcement Referral
– Where available and appropriate
Initial Inquiry/Complaint• Intake
– Gather information– Provide advice, response options
• Assess– Active– Severity
• Research• Phone calls-renovator and owner• Site Visit?
Site Assessment
Owner Notification
Why we are involved &- lead safety codes- Assessment Findings- Problem/Health Impact- Requirements /
Consequences- Offer of Assistance- Timeframe for response
Standards: State Law EPA RRP (where applicable)
Work Practices Improvement
4%
18%
52%
22%
4%
Initial13%
48%
13%
13%
13%
After Intervention
26%
26%
4%
13%
17%
13%
End of Monitoring
Closure Time Periods
FY 10 FY 12
# of incidents 59 77
Closed within:
30 days 31% 34%
60 days 37% 53%
90 days 49% 73%
Advancing Safe and Healthy Housing for Families and Children
• Assessment• Family Interview• Basic Environmental Treatment• Owner Notification and Engagement
– Letter– Scheduled Appointment– Follow-up for 3 months
• Enforcement Support-Oakland HH Pilot
Standards: HHRS 29 Hazards
Housing Health and Safety Assessment Report
• Assessment date, type and disclaimer
• Verify/Correct by qualified person
• HHD available for consultation
Housing Health and Safety Assessment Report
• Deficiency• Location• Health Risk• Recommended
Correction
Oakland Healthy Homes Pilot Project• Oakland
– Building Services– Housing Assistance Center
• Alameda County– Healthy Homes– Asthma Start– Place Matters
• Community/Tenant Groups• Also: Legal Aid, Vector Control, Health Care
Results
Project % w/owner Owner $
repairs Avg./unit
HUD FY09 HH 26% $1,115
ASHHI 49% $ 680
Further Evaluation
• Most serious repairs addressed?• Type, extent and severity of unaddressed
items?• Longer term impact?• Resources required.
Mold
• Phone Consults• Gathering Information• Referral to building department
– Advice about effective complaint• Moisture, water intrusion, water leak• Don’t say “mold”
Standards:Public Health Department Statements
Gather InformationMold Calls
July 2012-June 2013
Alameda 5Albany 0Berkeley 6Dublin 0Emeryville 0Fremont 1Hayward 4Livermore 0Newark 0Oakland 29Piedmont 0Pleasanton 0San Leandro 10Union City 0Unincorporated
Castro Valley 2San Lorenzo 4
Total 61
July 0
August 2
September 0
October 4
November 3
December 2
January 11
February 11
March 8
April 11
May 6
June 3
Mold
• Next Steps-
Challenges and Barriers
• Managing Expectations– You can’t make everyone happy– People hear what they want to hear– Be clear to yourself about what you will do– Deliver clear messages about expectations– Provide referrals to enforcement agencies
Challenges and Barriers
• Larger Conflicts– Maintain fair and neutral stance– Referral to:
• Mediation• Legal Aid• Tenant or Rental Owner organizations
Measures of Efficacy• Anecdotal• Median Days to Closure• Compliance at:
– Initial Visit– 2nd Visit
• Owner Contribution - %, $• Year over year changes in compliance• Compliance difference when RRP
certified?
Works Better With:
• Commitment to the process– Interdisciplinary Collaboration
• Willingness to start without all the answers• Housing/Health/Outreach
expertise/partners• Link corrective actions to existing
standards
Works Better With:
• Standard Process• Good Documentation• Referral Network• Resources
Skills
• Listening, Communicating and Educating
• Mediation• Housing Assessment• Health Connection• Develop collaborative relationships
Review-Voluntary Compliance Model
• Triaged Response• On-Site Assessment• Owner Engagement• Technical Advisement and
Compliance Monitoring• Enforcement Referral
– Where available and appropriate
Alameda County
Healthy Homes Department
Community Development Agency
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