Fundamentals of Florida Code
Enforcement Exam Review Questions
Answered Correctly.
Earliest and most rudimentary building codes of which we have knowledge are attributed to - Answer
King Hammurabi (Babylonian Empire) 2000BC
Rome enacted regulations for the safety of public buildings in - Answer 27 A.D.
One of the earliest building codes was promulgated by the Mayor of London in 1189, known as the -
Answer Assize of Buildings
In 1666, a great fire in London burned out of control for 5 days, prompting Legislation of the - Answer
London Building Act
In 1871 the Chicago Fire that killed 250 people and 100,000 homes prompted the city to - Answer enact
a building and fire prevention ordinance
The three model building codes currently in use in this country were all developed - Answer in the 20th
Century
Uniform Building Code - Answer was published in 1927, (replacing the 1905 National Building Code). It
is used extensively in the western U.S
Southern Standard Building Code - Answer (now Standard Building Code), published in 1945 is used
predominantly in the southeast
The Basic /National Building Code - Answer published in 1950, is widely used in the northeast and
midwest
BOCA, SBCCI, and ICBO - Answer The three code organizations active throughout the United States are
,In an effort to consolidate codes and produce one standard that can be used, BOCA, ICBO, and SBCC]
united and formed the International Code Council and the International Building Codes. Florida elected
not to adopt the International Code instead - Answer adopting the State of Florida Building Code in
March of 2002.
The history of housing codes in the United States began during the colonial period. As settlement of the
colonies spread settlers discovered that certain conditions were not conducive - Answer to the general
health and safety of the people.
Authorities have refined housing codes through the years and now enforce them in many areas of this
and other countries. These codes establish minimum standards for health, safety, and welfare and are
targeted at preventing - Answer the creation of substandard dwellings and slums
Local governments face a whole new problem when lack of maintenance on buildings causes
deterioration. This "blight" can spread rapidly through residential and business districts alike. This occurs
unless there are restrictions or enforcement of - Answer community standards.
The term "inspection" - Answer is usually understood to mean a close observation of actual conditions
existing on properties' structures and their approved uses.
Code officers/inspectors must be - Answer trained, qualified, and competent to determine whether
conditions that they observe meet the minimum requirements specified in the locally adopted codes.
Code officer/inspectors should be familiar - Answer with the court or code enforcement punitive
process and appellate procedures. In addition, code officer/inspectors should know process is necessary
to appeal code requirements.
The administrative elements deal with the procedures to ensure the observation of the constitutional
doctrines of reasonableness, equal protection under the law, and due process. The procedures - Answer
must also guard against unlawful search and seizure.
Code officers/inspectors must know - Answer the departmental mission and be able to take whatever
action is necessary to best meet that goal.
,Code enforcement today addresses a wide range of issues that affect - Answer the environment, health,
safety, property values, and general well - being of the general public
Code enforcement programs not only achieve their primary health, safety and welfare goals but also -
Answer enhance other programs and efforts such as historic preservation, rehabilitation assistance, and
revitalization.
The goal of code enforcement is to - Answer gain "voluntary compliance."
Educating the public is one of the quickest and most - Answer inexpensive methods of enforcement.
Education of the public - Answer can be one of the most effective tools that code enforcement officials
have at their disposal.
Frequently violations occur when - Answer property owners do not realize that they have violated local
codes or Ordinances.
Enforcement through informal methods such as education - Answer can help reduce tension and
prevent adversarial relationships between the public and regulatory agencies.
Perhaps the best way to reach the greatest number of people: - Answer is to publish and distribute
pamphlets or brochures which briefly describe available services, general code requirements, and
information about the department's function, and its telephone numbers.
Code enforcement agencies have also become involved in a variety of programs and partnerships -
Answer with other departments, agencies, community organizations, and local businesses.
Members of these teams can come from a combination of - Answer code enforcement, law
enforcement, public works, fire, health, legal (such as city or county attorneys), and building and zoning
departments.
, Other partnerships include - Answer involving citizens from community organizations and local
businesses. These could include homeowner associations, neighborhood associations, property
managers, and property owners.
-If the citizens provide information, and receive none in return, - Answer they feel as if the government
sees their role as unimportant and they soon develop a sense of disassociation
Restrictive Covenants - Answer those property restrictions legally agreed upon, recorded, and legally
binding on the property owner. They are sometimes called deed restrictions and can vary as to the
content, purpose, and length of time the restriction app lies.
It is important to remember that government entities - Answer do not enforce restrictive covenants or
deed restrictions.
Homeowner Association By-Laws - Answer By-laws are another example of restrictions employed by
homeowners' associations to create, preserve, or develop quality-of-life standards for their communities.
-Many homeowner associations will attempt government intervention for enforcement of their rules.
Rules adopted by the homeowner's association - Answer are not enforceable by government agencies.
CHAIN OF COMMAND - Answer Its purpose is to: channel effectively and uniformly information,
authority, responsibility, and accountability throughout the organizational structure.
Chain of Command - Answer Provide a structural relationship between the code enforcement
officer/inspector and the supervisor/director; limit and control the number of people who report to the
city or county administrator; and achieve the goals and objectives of the code enforcement unit.
The code enforcement officer/inspector plays a crucial role on the team by - Answer fulfilling
objectives, coordinating activities, ensuring proper function of sub- units, understanding the extent of
individual duties, and being accountable for individual and team actions.
AGENCY OR DEPARTMENTAL POLICY - Answer Depending upon a jurisdictions and local governing
body's enforcement philosophy, code enforcement may be either reactive (complaint driven) or
proactive (needs driven as determined by staff observation or other methods)
