Contra Costa County Grand Jury
• 2023-2024
A Report of The 2023 – 2024 Contra Costa County Civil Grand Jury
⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings and Recommendations 13 findings
F1
Civil Code Section 55.53 (d)(1) requires public agencies to employ or retain at least one building inspector who is a CASp.
No recommendations for this finding
F2
Contra Costa County is a public agency covered by this Civil Code Section.
No recommendations for this finding
F3
DCD did not comply with Civil Code Section 55.53 (d)(1) between 6/8/2013 and 6/21/2021 or between 9/21/2021 and 12/31/2023.
No recommendations for this finding
F4
Civil Code Section 55.53 (d)(2) requires public agencies to employ or retain a sufficient number of CASps to conduct permitting and plan check services, effective 1/1/2014.
Related Recommendations (3)
R2
By December 31, 2024, the Board of Supervisors should consider commissioning an independent CASp review to determine how many CASps is a sufficient number to conduct permitting and plan check services at DCD.
R3
By March 31, 2025, the Board of Supervisors should consider directing DCD to employ or retain the sufficient number of CASps to conduct permitting and plan check services.
R4
By September 30, 2024, the Board of Supervisors should consider directing DCD to report to the County Administrator periodically to confirm the number of CASps employed or retained.
F5
CASps currently retained by DCD are available for consultation on accessibility requirements.
No recommendations for this finding
F6
DCD does not have a procedure for any CASps to conduct permitting and plan check services in the building permit approval process.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5
By December 31, 2024, the Board of Supervisors should consider directing DCD to have a procedure in the building permit approval process that identifies those situations where a CASp review is required.
F7
Government Code Section 4469.5 requires public agencies to provide an informational notice about accessibility laws to applicants for building permits for additions, alterations, and structural repairs to commercial property, or building permits for new construction of commercial property. This notice encourages business permit applicants to consult CASps.
No recommendations for this finding
F8
DCD was not providing the informational notice required by Government Code Section 4469.5 as of 12/31/2023.
Related Recommendations (2)
R6
By September 30, 2024.The Board of Supervisors should direct DCD to develop the informational notice required by California Code 4469.5 for current and new commercial building permit applications.
R7
By September 30, 2024.The Board of Supervisors should direct DCD to provide the informational notice required by California Code 4469.5 to current and new commercial building permit applications.
F9
The law requires that moneys in the Accessibility Compliance Fund shall be used for increased certified access specialist (CASp) training and certification within that local jurisdiction and to facilitate compliance with construction-related accessibility requirements.
No recommendations for this finding
F10
DCD, as of 2022, had used less than 28% of the Accessibility Compliance Fund. The expenditure was used for training.
No recommendations for this finding
F11
The staff being trained for CASp certification are primarily senior staff and may not be involved in most construction-related accessibility reviews.
No recommendations for this finding
F12
The Grand Jury has not been able to independently verify that DCD staff have been adequately trained to review building plans and building inspections for compliance with the accessibility requirements in the Building Code as none have been certified by DSA.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
By December 31, 2024, the Board of Supervisors should consider commissioning an independent CASp review of how DCD is ensuring that the building permit process enforces federal and state accessibility requirements.
F13
Building permit fees and the Accessibility Compliance Fund are both allowable sources of funding for review of the effective use of CASps in the building department.
No recommendations for this finding
No Responses Found 1
Government entities assigned to respond to this report. No response documents have been linked in our database.
Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors
Elected County Office