Report 2015-134 Recommendation 3 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 #3 To: Pasadena, City of

To ensure that it is aware of the degree of property owners' compliance with its resale record ordinance, Pasadena should implement procedures that can help it monitor the sale or exchange of properties that require resale record inspections. The city should work with applicable stakeholders, such as realtors, to aid in this effort.

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2019

The City's current ordinance, rules and regulations, and policies provide a reasonable way for the city to monitor the sale or exchange of properties.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Resolved

Pasadena adopted a new ordinance in 2019 to create the Presale Self-Certification Program to replace the Occupancy Inspection Program, which was the focus of our audit. The city created this new program after determining that there have been significant improvements in the housing stock and changes in the real estate environment. Based on additional information provided by Pasadena, we now consider this recommendation to be resolved.

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2018

The City of Pasadena continues to evaluate the viability of the Occupancy Inspection Program.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Pending

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From November 2017

The City of Pasadena is evaluating the viability of the Occupancy Inspection Program.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Pending

1-Year Agency Response

The City of Pasadena is evaluating the viability of the Occupancy Inspection Program with the FY2018 budget.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Pending

Pasadena previously reported in its six-month response that it would not implement this recommendation because it believed that its current ordinance, rules and regulations, and policies provide a reasonable way to monitor the sale or exchange of properties. However, it is now evaluating the viability of the program, so the status of the recommendation's implementation is pending.

6-Month Agency Response

The City's current ordinance, rules and regulations, and policies provide a reasonable way for the city to monitor the sale or exchange of properties.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Will Not Implement

Pasadena also made the same statement in its formal response to our report and its 60-day response. However, we commented on page 61 of our report that we believe the city should do more. As stated on page 15 of our report, Pasadena lacks procedures to monitor the sale or exchange of properties. In addition, as further noted on page 16, the city receives updates from the county assessor regarding property transfers, but it has not used this information to monitor property owners' compliance with the city's ordinance.

60-Day Agency Response

The City's current ordinance, rules and regulations, and policies provide a reasonable way for the city to monitor the sale or exchange of properties.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Will Not Implement

Pasadena also made the same statement in its formal response to our report. However, we commented on page 61 of our report that we believe the city should do more. As stated on page 15 of our report, Pasadena lacks procedures to monitor the sale or exchange of properties. In addition, as further noted on page 16, the city receives updates from the county assessor regarding property transfers, but it has not used this information to monitor property owners' compliance with the city's ordinance.

All Recommendations in 2015-134

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.