Report 2015-134 Recommendation 8 Responses

Report 2015-134: Residential Building Records: The Cities of San Rafael, Novato, and Pasadena Need to Strengthen the Implementation of Their Resale Record Programs (Release Date: March 2016)

Recommendation #8 To: Novato, City of

To ensure that it can monitor the satisfaction individuals have with the resale record program and that it has a uniform approach for resolving complaints, Novato should develop a process for tracking the complaints it receives. In addition, Novato should develop a formal policy that describes how staff should evaluate complaints, and it should document its activities associated with resolving complaints, such as the resolution and the rationale for the resolution. The city should also establish a designated location in its database to record this information.

6-Month Agency Response

As noted in the May 23, 2016 response, a complaint/dispute process has been created an is being implemented, including creation of a complaint form (previously attached) and a dispute resolution procedure (previously attached).

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Fully Implemented

60-Day Agency Response

A complaint/dispute process has been created and is being implemented. A dispute submittal form has been prepared (see Attachment 1), allowing the public to disagree with the findings of the resale inspection in written form. A dispute resolution procedure has also been created (see Attachment 2) and is being implemented to direct staff and clarify for the public the steps which will be followed in the resolution of the dispute, including a decision by the Community Development Director within 10 working days and the ability to appeal this decision to the City's Zoning, Housing and Building Codes Appeals Board. The procedures also include direction to enter the disputes received into the City's permit tracking system to retain the data, including outcomes of the disputes.

This recommendation has been fulfilled.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Partially Implemented

Although the city identifies that the complaint/dispute process was implemented in May, the city later clarified to us that the process will be initiated by July 1. We look forward to learning of the city's progress when it submits its six-month response.

All Recommendations in 2015-134

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.