HELPING IMPROVE YOUR MAINTENANCE, PROPERTY, AND BUILDING CODES
Housing is a key social determinant of health of asthma, lead exposure, and household accidents. In 2019, Beyond Housing received grant funding from Missouri Foundation for Health to assist the 24:1 municipalities in updating their municipal codes and obtaining training for code enforcement officials.
Codes Count seeks to align resources and adopt standard codes to improve enforcement across maintenance, property, and building codes. When municipal staff and leaders embrace the benefits of updating codes, and then enforcing those codes, the chance for positive health outcomes increases. And lives will be improved.
Code enforcement is an important part of maintaining a thriving, safe, and healthy community. Having consistent codes across municipal boundaries promotes fairness and a positive community culture. Individuals completing the Building Inspector training who receive certification from the International Code Council (ICC) will be able to engage with members of their municipalities and provide a fair and reasonable approach to addressing property maintenance issues, and hold neighbors to the same broadly-held standards.
This initiative seeks to align resource and adopt standard codes to improve enforcement across maintenance, property, and building codes.
The first step involves a municipality choosing to participate in Codes Count and having the elected body of the municipality pass a resolution to proceed with Codes Count. This decision means that the community agrees to elevate their building standards to be compliant with the 2015 ICC codes.
Communities who adopt the Codes Count system agreement by resolution will have an initial consultation to develop a timeline and cost of services. Beyond Housing will invoice your community based on the outline of services.
Neighborhood Preservation Inspectors apply consistent code standards to support municipal vitality. This training is designed for current or potential city staff who are responsible for code enforcement activities or will be in the future.
Passing the updated codes is only half the challenge facing communities. Property maintenance and building code enforcement is an important part of maintaining a vibrant community. Participating Codes Count municipalities are eligible for reduced training fees and can apply for scholarships to properly educate their Neighborhood Preservation Inspectors in the 2015 ICC Codes. Quarterly trainings will be offered to inspectors to elevate their training to align with the codes adopted by the towns where they serve.
Watch and overview of Codes Count.
Pilot projects are just now beginning and are expected to take 30-60 days.
Elected bodies of municipalities review, comment on, and ultimately vote yes/no on adopting the codes by which buildings and building systems exist within their community. Bringing as many municipalities as possible to the current standard of codes – the 2015 ICC codes – is the goal of Codes Count. Municipal elected leaders must vote to enact any changes to the building codes.
Existing building are not exempt. Building codes are for the enhancement of property surface areas, meaning the exterior, such as tall weeds and grass, falling or hanging gutters, exterior painting, broken windows, dilapidated accessory structures, and vacant structures.
Contact the Codes Count team to learn how your municipality can participate.