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HOUSING PLAN <br />CODE ENFORCEMENT <br />10. Property Maintenance Standards (Healthy Housing) <br />Santa Ana requires adherence to building and property maintenance standards in <br />its municipal codes (e.g., International Property Maintenance Code and Health <br />and Safety Standards related to substandard housing). Research has increasingly <br />pointed toward a strong link between property maintenance, neighborhood <br />quality, and the overall health of residents. The American Public Health <br />Association and National Center for Healthy Housing have created a new <br />National Healthy Housing Standard. The standard's health -based codes are <br />designed to complement the policies and regulations already adopted and <br />implemented by cities. Santa Ana has the opportunity to incorporate the latest in <br />best practices for healthy homes into the City's existing building and maintenance <br />codes used by building and code enforcement officials. <br />The City will collaborate with community serving organizations to educate <br />residents regarding property health and maintenance issues. The City's Code <br />Enforcement Department will also work cooperatively with the County Health <br />Department to address interior infestation of insects, vermin, or rodents; and the <br />lack of adequate garbage storage and removal facilities, as authorized by Senate <br />Bill 488 (2013). <br />Many jurisdictions are exploring additional ways to enforce property maintenance <br />standards, especially when related to health and safety conditions in interior living <br />spaces, including Rent Escrow Account Programs (REAP). A REAP is an <br />enforcement tool that encourages landlords to maintain their properties and to <br />bring properties that have existing violations into compliance. When a property <br />demonstrates substantial habitual violations and failure to conduct repairs and <br />maintenance, tenants may be entitled to rent reductions, protection from eviction <br />or other retaliation, and a delay of rental payment until repairs are completed. <br />11. Proactive Rental Enforcement <br />The Proactive Rental Enforcement Program (PREP) promotes public health and <br />safety through systematic and proactive code enforcement. Santa Ana has many <br />rental housing properties with deferred maintenance. PREP focuses on <br />identifying these code violations in rental properties that threaten the occupants' <br />safety, the structural integrity of the building, or the condition of the surrounding <br />neighborhood. Code violations are identified through a quadrennial inspection <br />completed every four years. Properties are charged a fee for service unless the <br />property receives a Gold Seal for meeting standards of excellence in property <br />maintenance. To maximize the effectiveness of this program, the City seeks to <br />augment levels of funding and personnel where feasible. <br />12. Residential Response Team <br />The Residential Response Team (RRT) is a complement to the existing PREP <br />program and focused on single- family residential units. RRT is a focused code <br />CITY OF SANTA ANA GENERAL PLAN HOUSING ELEMENT 55 <br />