Community‑services director: amnesty brought 244 conversions into compliance; program now at ~34% compliance

Derek Hall, director of community services, updated council on the city’s garage‑conversion amnesty program, which the council approved in July 2024 to let owners of homes with unpermitted garage conversions come into code compliance.

Hall said staff established a January 20 baseline of about 714 unpermitted conversions. As of Jan. 20 there were 211 submitted applications; between Jan. 20 and July 29 staff moved 187 permits and by July 29 the total applications reached 242. Since the agenda was published two additional approvals raised the number to 244, Hall said. He told the council the remaining noncompliant properties fell from 527 (Jan. 20) to about 472 and that overall compliance increased from roughly 26% to about 34%.

Hall described the outreach undertaken during the extension period — 400+ flyers, more than 250 phone calls, and social‑media messaging — and said that 34 applications submitted at or near the July 31 deadline await inspection; staff expect at least some of those to become compliant within 90 days. He also reviewed program‑analysis findings, including initial survey limits (owner vs. renter units) and permitting‑system changes that complicated early counts.

Councilmembers discussed fairness and enforcement: several members said staff had done extensive outreach and argued it was time to let the ordinance take effect and enforce noncompliance; others urged continued compassion and practical steps such as offering Saturday inspection times and working with new homeowners to provide a compliance pathway. Hall confirmed that if the city ends the extension, noncompliant properties would be flagged and that non‑emergency permits would be withheld until owners brought properties to code.