There are three Property Standards community support programs currently offered by the Codes Department.
NOTICE Program
The NOTICE Program (Neighbors Organized To Initiate Code Enforcement) is a volunteer based program open to any organized neighborhood organization. Under this program, volunteers are trained on how to identify basic codes violations. They are provided a special form that is used to report these violations. To participate the following conditions must be met:
- The group must have at least four individuals who will volunteer to make the inspections
- The group must submit an application form (link to form)
- Volunteers must attend a training session before they can participate in the program
- The group can only use the inspection worksheets for violations within the boundaries of there neighborhood
- Only violations on the form can be reported on the form
Groups interested in participating in this program can contact the Property Standards office at 615-862-6590.
Rental Inspection District Program
For years one of the challenges for Codes departments across the nation has been an inability to contact property owners, especially rental property owners. Most often the address of the owner is listed with the tax assessor’s office as being the address of the rental property. When Codes tries to contact the owner concerning a violation; that notice often doesn’t reach the owner and the violation goes uncorrected.
The Rental District Inspection is a pro-active inspection program designed to the following issues:
- Absentee landlords
- Illegal rooming houses
- Unkept properties
- Communication with owners
- Deferred maintenance
- Identity of the owner
- Access
- Service of process issues
The Rental Inspection program establishes specific geographic areas based on a series of criteria. First, there must be a high percentage of rental units. The units have to be older properties, and the units must be deteriorated or in the process of deteriorating or subject to deterioration. The Metro Planning Commission used these criteria along with input from members of council to create the 14 rental inspection districts within Davidson County. The districts are:
- Urbandale – Nations
- Sylvan Heights
- Hadley Washington – Meharry
- North Nashville – Buena Vista – Metrocenter
- Napier – Trimble – Wedgwood / Houston
- Airport – Murfreesboro Pk
- Edgefield – Shelby Hills
- Cleveland Park – McFerrin Park
- Greenwood - Eastwood
- Vanderbilt - 21st St
- Hermitage
- South Madison
- Madison Park
- Edenwold
Neighborhood Audit
On a limited basis, the Property Standards Division can conduct neighborhood audits. Generally, these are restricted to no more than five blocks at a time. The inspections are conducted by our Flex Inspection team. Requests for inspections of areas larger than five blocks will be broken down into smaller, five block segments and inspections will be scheduled around existing inspections.