Building Safety Week Offers Amnesty Opportunity

Amnesty Offered During Building Safety Week
Property Owners Can Obtain Correct Permits without Penalty

Release Date: Monday, May 2, 2005
Contact: Bill Nelson, Director of the Department of Building Services, 333-3883

The City of Dayton will be joining other communities around the world in celebrating Building Safety Week from May 8-14.

Building Safety Week raises public awareness of building safety and promotes the use, enforcement and understanding of building safety and fire prevention codes to protect lives and property. The theme of this year's Building Safety Week is "Making Homes, Schools and Workplaces Safer Together ".

As part of the recognition, Dayton 's Department of Building Services will offer amnesty to residents who have recently performed any construction on their homes or businesses without obtaining a building permit.

Under the amnesty offer, any Dayton property owner who has performed construction work without a permit can visit the Department of Building Services during Building Safety Week to obtain the proper permits. The traditional practice of imposing a double permit fee for work without a permit will be suspended during this period. However, the standard permit fee will apply.

Construction work performed without a permit is a criminal offense and the City often prosecutes for failure to obtain a permit. During this period, Building Services staff will work with property owners to ensure the proper permits are issued and inspections are conducted.

In addition, the Division of Housing Inspection will offer amnesty for rental unit registrations that are overdue. All residential properties that are not owner-occupied are required to be registered with the City of Dayton's Division of Housing Inspection. The residential registration forms are available on the City of Dayton's web site at

As part of Building Safety Week; the Department of Building Services will also conduct an Open House on Tuesday, May 10 from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Building Services Department is located at the One Stop Center, 371 West Second Street.

"I encourage the public to stop by to learn more about the work that the Building Services Department does, " said Bill Nelson, Director of the Department of Building Services." Building code enforcement is the job of professionals who work right here in the City of Dayton," Nelson said." Inspectors, plan reviewers and others in our department work to ensure that the structures you and your families live, work, and play in are safe by issuing building permits and inspecting buildings during and after construction."

Nelson added, " Our department is using Building Safety Week to educate the community about the importance of obtaining proper permits and also registering non owner-occupied rental properties. It is an opportunity to increase public awareness of the role that building safety and fire prevention officials, local and state building departments and federal agencies play on the front line of defense to protect lives and property. They are the 'silent defenders' who are seldom seen but work daily to ensure safety in the built environment."

"We encourage people to come in and tell our staff at the front desk that you are here to take advantage of the amnesty." Nelson said.

Building Safety Week, first observed in 1980, is sponsored by the International Code Council Foundation, an organization dedicated to changing the devastating effects of natural disasters and other building tragedies at home and around the world. The International Code Council is an association that develops building safety and fire prevention codes that are used in more than 15,000 jurisdictions across the nation.

For any building safety concerns, contact the Building Services Department at 333-3883. For housing registration questions, contact the Division of Housing Inspection at 333-3977.