Substandard housing conditions can be reported to the city’s Code Enforcement Division online using the FresGO app, by phone, by calling 559-621-8400, or in person or in writing, by sending information to the City of Fresno, City Attorney's Office Code Enforcement, Room 3070, 2600 Fresno Street, Fresno, CA 93721.
If you’re a renter, you have the right to live in a safe home.
Landlords and property owners are required to ensure that their rental property is habitable and safe – meeting conditions such as being free of visible mold growth or structural hazards, having adequate heating and sanitation, and other conditions noted in the California Health and Safety Code.
“Renters should report substandard housing violations in their units if their landlord fails to correct them, so that Code Enforcement can use enforcement tools to motivate the property owner to comply,” said Christina Roberson, assistant Fresno city attorney.
ASET, or Anti Slum Enforcement Team, was established in 2016 as a branch of Fresno’s code enforcement department. “The mission of ASET is to increase the stock of habitable rental housing by pursuing violators to obtain code compliance,” according to the city website.
ASET is currently working to bring 20 rental properties, totaling 389 housing units, into compliance with health and safety standards, according to the latest status report on the ASET webpage.
The status report also shows that there are 5 additional properties with 43 housing units that are pending action but have not been addressed yet.
How to file a complaint with code enforcement
Roberson encouraged renters to report substandard housing violations to the city’s Code Enforcement Division as a first step in remedying the situation.
“Reporting these violations also informs Code Enforcement about which properties have violations, and we can use this knowledge to investigate the property for ASET or other Code Enforcement programs,” she added.
Substandard conditions could include mold, a repair that has been delayed, a lack of working heat, or other unsanitary or unsafe conditions.
Complaints can be filed:
- Online, with the FresGO app
- By phone, by calling 559-621-8400
- In person or in writing, by sending information to the City of Fresno, City Attorney’s Office Code Enforcement, Room 3070, 2600 Fresno St., Fresno, CA 93721.
When filing a complaint, tenants should be prepared with information such as:
- Your name, phone number, and address. This personal information is kept confidential.
- The property address.
- A detailed description of the violation or situation occurring.
- How long the situation has been observed.
It’s considered a best practice to document the situation with photos and a timeline of when the problems started.
Complaints are addressed by priority level.
