Building and Zoning Code Violations

The City strives to maintain a safe and desirable living and working environment. In addition to working with residents, business owners, and neighborhood and professional associations to seek voluntary compliance with City laws and codes, we investigate many different types of alleged violations.

The Community Development Department is charged with handling health and safety concerns, and land use and sign violations. The most common violations investigated by the Community Development Department include:

Common Building Code Violations

• Substandard/unsafe buildings
• Illegal dwelling units, including garage conversions
• Work without a permit

Common Land Use & Sign Ordinance Violations

• Over-height or illegally placed fences, walls or hedges
• Inoperable or abandoned vehicles on private property
• Short-term Vacation Rentals
• Illegal Home Occupations
• Elimination of required parking
• Storage of trash, debris, boats, or vehicles in setbacks or front yards
• Illegal signs (e.g., banners, portable signs)
• Unpermitted signs

To report a potential code violation, please call the "Request for Investigation" hotline at (805) 897-2676 and leave a message, or complete a Request for Investigation form and submit it in one of the following ways:

Please note that enforcement officers typically DO NOT contact the reporting party once the case has been assigned, unless additional information is needed to thoroughly investigate a potential violation. The reporting party's information will be kept confidential during our investigation of the violation, unless ordered to be released by court order. Once an enforcement case is closed, all records become public.

To report other types of issues, please refer to the convenient City Hotline Numbers page.

Building & Safety questions can also be directed via email at CDBuildingCode@SantaBarbaraCA.gov.