Progress at Fresno mobile homes, rental properties watched by code enforcement

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The city of Fresno has made major strides over the last year to protect its residents and change its image.

The code enforcement team shared the success stories Thursday.

Renters see firsthand the impact of new programs from Fresno's code enforcement team.

Proactive inspections helped force improvements at rental properties across the city.

Potentially dangerous messes have disappeared, giving some neighborhoods a different look now.

As of July, the city also took control of oversight at all 27 Fresno mobile home parks and sent code enforcement in large numbers to the Trails End park in north Fresno, which was plagued by problems including a deadly fire earlier this year.

RELATED: 1 killed, 1 injured in mobile home fire in north Fresno

"Primarily to send a message that we will not tolerate slumlords or properties that are not being handled by responsible property owners," said Erica Mercado Camarena, the chief assistant city attorney overseeing code enforcement.

The 62 code enforcement officers took a front line position during the COVID pandemic and earned an award for innovative programs.

But old-fashioned repair work gets the most attention at Trails End.

RELATED: Clean-up efforts begin on Trails End Mobile Home Park

They've patched potholes, removed trash, fixed plumbing leaks and hazards, and trimmed landscaping.

But they need courts to help with property owners.

"There are deeper problems there that we've identified that the city, we don't have the authority necessarily to take care of, but a receiver would step into the shoes of the owner and they would have more authority," said Christina Roberson, a deputy city attorney.

A lot of residents welcomed the city taking oversight from the state.

They cheered the initial progress, but recently ran out of enthusiasm while the city fights its battle in court.

"It was great in the beginning," said Patsy Rajskup. "Now, it's going right back to the same old thing. Everything is going right back the same."

You can still see potholes all over the Trails End community as well as a home burned by fire in June and still in need of repair.

The city has a court date in November to get the mobile home park into a receivership and they hope after that, they'll be able to do more abatement.