Frequently Asked Questions

What types of violations does this office deal with?

How may I file a complaint?

Complaints may be filed using any of the following methods:

In person:
Our new office location is at Development Services - 31 E 5th Street, which is located in the East garden Level of the city complex in downtown Tempe. The office hours: are 8am through 5pm, Monday through Friday.

Telephone:
Our telephone number is (480) 350-8372.  Anyone wishing to speak with a staff person may call this number between the hours of  7am and 8 pm, Monday through Friday, and from 8 am - 1 pm on Saturdays. If the telephone line is already in use, you may leave your complaint information on the answering machine.  Complaints may also be recorded at this same telephone number twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

Online:
Complaints may be filed online twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week by clicking on the following link:
Online complaint form

Are complainants required to identify themselves?

Complainants typically do not have to identify themselves; although if they would like an inspector to contact them regarding the status of the investigation, their name and daytime telephone number are necessary. 

There are two types of violations where the complainants must identify themselves. These include barking dog complaints and complaints of boat and trailers being parked in the front yard setback of a residential property.  Petitions must be signed by at least three people from separate households in both of these situations. Barking dog petitions are considered public records, and a copy of the petition is available to others if they request public records for a property.  Sample petitions for barking dog and recreational vehicles are available through the following links:

Barking Dog Petition

Recreational Vehicles Petition

What is the enforcement process?

Our goal is to obtain voluntary compliance from citizens whenever possible.  The City is divided into geographic areas with a Code Inspector assigned to each one.  Each inspector is responsible for violations occurring within their assigned area.  Generally, the enforcement of codes occurs on both a reactive (complaint from a community source) and a proactive (initiated by the inspector) basis.  There are however, a number of violations that are only enforced after a complaint is received. These include interior violations of the Rental Housing Code, Zoning Ordinance violations, and Nuisance Code violations occurring in enclosed rear yards.  Our goal is to encourage both owners and tenants to voluntarily eliminate any violations that may exist so that Tempe remains a city we can be proud to live in.  When a code violation is reported, we open a complaint and work towards resolving the violation through a process of education, inspection, and notices. Continued violations are followed by progressive enforcement. Each code has its own set of enforcement procedures, however the process generally follows this sequence:

• Complaint received or violation observed by an inspector

• Inspection conducted

• Notice sent to violator allowing time for corrections

• Reinspection conducted

• Additional time granted to allow for correction if warranted

• Civil Citations issued if violation is not corrected

• Criminal prosecution filed if not corrected after citation

• Abatement (violation removed by City contractor) and lien.

What is the definition of a family and how many unrelated persons can reside in a R-1 Zone?

The definition of a family and enforcement of excessive number of persons in a R-1 Zone is available on the following link.  The city zoning code prohibits more than three unrelated individuals living together in a single family home.  If concerns arise about the behavior of the individuals living in a home, such as frequent loud parties or disorderly conduct please contact the Tempe Police Department's non-emergency number at 480-350-8311 (call 911 for emergency responses).  

Family definition 
Consanguinity Chart

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