That amount \u201cisn\u2019t much in the grand scheme of things,\u201d Janz said.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not yet clear what a new code enforcement fine structure could look like, but Janz described the move as giving \u201ca little more teeth to the law.\u201d City officials are hoping enhanced fines will disincentivize property owners the city has identified as habitual offenders from continuing to violate Fresno\u2019s Municipal Code.<\/p>\n
The pending fine structure update is the city\u2019s latest move to bolster the code enforcement in Fresno. In March, the City Council changed local law<\/a> to allow officers to access open areas of private property that are considered public, such as front porches or driveways, without a warrant for code enforcement purposes.<\/p>\n City officials at the time called it a \u201ccommon sense\u201d move intended to crack down on property owners who they say have repeatedly violated Fresno\u2019s housing standards and avoided inspections and penalties.<\/p>\n Janz said his office will likely officially propose a code enforcement fine update to the City Council \u201cwithin a couple of months or so.\u201d<\/p>\n District 3 City Councilmember Miguel Arias told The Bee a change to the fine structure is \u201clong overdue.\u201d<\/p>\n Though the city only charges noncompliant property owners up to $250 in a first citation for general code violations, it can charge $500 and $1,000 on the second and third citations, respectively.<\/p>\n The fines are higher for violations that carry health and safety risks, ranging from a maximum of $800 on a first citation to $1,600 on a third. The city can also charge abatement fees if it has to clean clutter and debris from a private property.<\/p>\n Instead of focusing on set amounts that would apply to everyone, Arias said he\u2019d like to see a new fine structure allow the city to recover the full amount it spends in a code enforcement case. In some cases, large landlords get away with paying less in fines than what the city spends to enforce the code on them, he said.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery property is different,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n City Council President Nelson Esparza said updating the fines is something he will \u201ccertainly consider supporting.\u201d<\/p>\n Esparza said that, for repeat offenders, code enforcement violations \u201cshould impact their bottom line.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt really should serve as a deterrent,\u201d he said of the fine structure. \u201cWe have some very large repeat offenders within the city, where this has been a problem for many, many years. Wherever we see an opportunity to adjust and calibrate to be more effective against those violations, we should take that action.\u201d<\/p>\n Related Stories from Fresno Bee<\/p>\n![\"Fresno](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/FRS_EPZ_JANZ_SPEAKS_02.jpeg\" "\\"FRS_EPZ_JANZ_SPEAKS_02\\"")
Fresno City Attorney Andrew Janz speaks about the recent subpoena of two journalists in an interview Monday, April 14, 2025 in Fresno. ERIC PAUL ZAMORA ezamora@fresnobee.com New Fresno code enforcement fines likely to find support on City Council<\/p>\n
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