Community Enhancement Inspector II

About the role

The Inspector II – Community Enhancement is responsible for inspecting and re-inspecting residential, commercial, and multi-family dwellings to ensure compliance with current property maintenance, zoning, and fire code requirements. This position also involves providing social service referrals and collaborating with public agencies to secure assistance in locating adequate housing.

Responsibilities

• Inspect and reinspect homes for compliance with the municipal housing code, including any HUD, IHDA or other federal and state grant programs.
• Write up compliance orders on violations and issue compliance requests to property owners and tenants; prepare inspection records and reports.
• Perform general neighborhood inspections; work with homeowners, tenants, and neighborhood groups to ensure properties meet the required standards of safety and sanitation.
• Inspect and reinspect residential, commercial, and multi-family units and structures, rooming houses and bed and breakfast facilities for compliance with the municipal property maintenance code.
• Prepare inspection records and reports.
• Prepare extensive correspondence relative to inspections; communicate compliance orders on violations and issue compliance requests to owners with deadlines.
• Maintain all records of communications and inspections.
• Review zoning codes for knowledge of requirements of commercial, residential, and multi-family dwelling units and structures.
• Enforce compliance with City Codes and work collaboratively with other City Staff, such as the Building Safety Inspectors, Support Staff, Fire Department, and Police Department.
• Ensure property owners and landlords are compliant with City programs, such as the rental registration program, and neighborhood preservation registration.
• Proactively inspect residential and commercial properties for ordinance violations including tall grass and weeds.
• Provide information and answer questions on ordinance violations.
• Prepare court-related documents, consult with the City Legal Department, appear and testify in administrative and circuit court as needed, regarding lack of compliance.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of municipal housing and related building inspectional codes and their application.
• Knowledge of construction technology.
• Knowledge of current computer and/or electrical systems, techniques and requirements being utilized for specific applications in the department.
• Ability to understand and enforce City Codes.
• Ability to understand and apply municipal housing and related building codes.
• Ability to detect and locate defective workmanship and materials and to ascertain the stage in construction when defects are most easily found and remedied.
• Knowledge of community resources available to low-income and elderly families.
• Knowledge of Federal HUD and State IDHA Programs.
• Knowledge of Economic Development Principals and Practices.
• Ability to deal with building owners and tenants in difficult and general work situations.
• Ability to follow detailed general oral and written instructions in conducting independent inspectional and counseling work.
• Ability to prepare and maintain standard reports.
• Ability to manage functions, resolve conflict and work harmoniously with Department Heads, officials, employees, outside professionals, i.e. craftsmen, building owners, contractors and the general public.
• Ability to effectively communicate technical data both orally and in writing.

Skills

• International Code Council’s (ICC’s) Property Maintenance and Housing Inspector, and Zoning Inspector certifications within 12 months of hire.
• Knowledge of current computer and/or electrical systems, techniques and requirements being utilized for specific applications in the department.
• Ability to understand and enforce City Codes.
• Ability to understand and apply municipal housing and related building codes.
• Ability to detect and locate defective workmanship and materials and to ascertain the stage in construction when defects are most easily found and remedied.
• Knowledge of community resources available to low-income and elderly families.
• Knowledge of Federal HUD and State IDHA Programs.
• Knowledge of Economic Development Principals and Practices.
• Ability to deal with building owners and tenants in difficult and general work situations.
• Ability to follow detailed general oral and written instructions in conducting independent inspectional and counseling work.
• Ability to prepare and maintain standard reports.
• Ability to manage functions, resolve conflict and work harmoniously with Department Heads, officials, employees, outside professionals, i.e. craftsmen, building owners, contractors and the general public.
• Ability to effectively communicate technical data both orally and in writing.

Benefits

• Healthcare/Wellness benefits including medical, dental, vision, and flexible spending accounts.
• Paid time off (PTO).
• Insurance and retirement benefits including employer-provided benefit, voluntary life insurance buy-up, automatic enrollment in the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF), and pension details.
• Opportunities for wellness days and additional benefits through the union’s Collective Bargaining Agreement.