Your Government » Departments & Offices » Planning, Building & Code Enforcement » Code Enforcement » Focus Area Service Team (FAST) Program

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

  1. What is blight?
    Blight refers to the exterior conditions of a property and may include:

    • Graffiti on a building, structure, vehicle, boat, trailer, or other personal property.

    • Junk, debris, furniture, items in yards visible from the street for more than 72 hours.

    • Non-working vehicles parked in an area visible from the street for more than 72 hours.

    • Grass and weeds more than 12 inches high on your property and along the curb.

    • Parked vehicles on lawn, turf, gravel, dirt, or other unpaved surface. Do not pave over your front yard; you may be cited and required to pull out the pavement.

    • Properties with blight can attract rodents, be a fire safety, lead to illegal activity, and decrease property values or affect the success of nearby businesses.


    See the different ways to fight blight here.

  2. What is the Focus Area Service Team (FAST) Pilot Program?

    The Focus Area Service Team (FAST) Program is designed to help neighborhoods get a fast response to exterior code violations in the six areas of San José with the highest complaints.

    Code Enforcement Inspectors will visit these areas to identify exterior code violations as visible from the street or sidewalk. This is a shift from the current complaint-driven approach where Code Enforcement has relied on the public to report issues. FAST also expedites the enforcement process.

    The FAST program was created at the direction of the City Manager and in response to the Mayor’s March Budget Message for FY 2023-2024 to explore creative solutions to addressing blight.

  3. What areas are included in the FAST program?

    Visit the interactive map to see if your property is in one of the focus areas.

    • Area 1: Northside/E. Santa Clara St.-Alum Rock Ave. Corridor (E. Santa Clara St. from 10th St. to Hwy. 101; and Alum Rock Ave. from Hwy. 101 to S. White Rd.) 

    • Area 2: Downtown/Monterey Corridor (1st St. from Hwy.-280 to W. Alma Ave. and Monterey Hwy. from W. Alma Ave. to Curtner Ave.) 

    • Area 3: Cassell (Area bound by Story Rd. to the north, E. Capitol Expy. to the west, Ocala Rd. to the south, and Karl St. to the east)

    • Area 4: Mt. Pleasant (Area bound by Story Rd. to the north, E. Capitol Expy. to the west, to Ocala Ave./Mt. McKinley Dr. to the south, and Clayton Rd. to the east)

    • Area 5: Pinehurst (Area bound by E Capital Expy. to the north, Guadalupe River to the west, Branham Ln. to the south, and Vista Park Dr. to the east)

    • Area 6: La Colina (Area bound by Santa Teresa Blvd. to the north, Lean Ave. to the west, Curie Dr. to the south, and Cottle Rd. to the east)

  4. When will Code Inspectors visit FAST areas?

    A written multilingual notification (posted on this webpage) will be mailed at least three weeks in advance to property owners and tenants before inspections begin, with information on the common exterior violations and ways to correct them to avoid a citation and fine. Additionally, staff will hold educational Zoom meetings and run information on social media. Visit the program timeline for project dates. 

  5. What will Code Inspector look for during the exterior inspections of properties? 

    Code Enforcement inspectors will look for the exterior violations listed below. Visit Exterior Violations & Solutions for ways to correct these violations.

    • Graffiti on a building, structure, vehicle, boat, trailer, or other personal property.

    • Junk, debris, furniture, items in yards visible from the street for more than 72 hours.

    • Non-working vehicles parked in an area visible from the street for more than 72 hours.

    • Grass and weeds more than 12 inches high on the property and along the curb.

    • Parked vehicles on lawn, turf, gravel, dirt, or other unpaved surface. Do not pave over your front yard; you may be cited and required to pull out the pavement. 
       
  6. How long do property owners have to correct an exterior code violation? 

    Citations will be mailed in the week following the inspection. Property owners who receive a citation will have 10 days from the date the citation is issued to correct the violation before the property is reinspected. Failure to correct the violation before reinspection may result in additional citations and increased fines.

  7. How do I pay a citation?

    There are three options to pay a citation:

    Online: www.e-billexpress.com/ebpp/CSJRevQ/

    By Mail:
    City of San José Finance Department
    Attn: Revenue Management - Administrative Citations
    200 E. Santa Clara St., 13th Floor
    San José, CA 95113

    In-person:
    City Hall, Cashier’s Window (1st Floor)
    200 E. Santa Clara St.
    San José, CA 95113

  8.  How do I dispute a citation?

    Property owners may contest a citation by submitting a request for a hearing form to the City within 30 days from the citation date. Advance payment of the fine is required unless the property owner applies for and is granted an advance deposit hardship waiver. Visit hardship qualification for more information.

    Paid fines will be refunded if the hearing board determines that the property owner was not responsible for the violation or there was no violation. (San José Municipal Code, Sections 1.15.050, 1.15.060, 1.15.070, 1.15.100).