DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT
Welcome to the Development Services Department. Our goal is to provide helpful information to our customers.
The Development Services Department is comprised of Planning, Building Safety, and Code Enforcement.
Planning is responsible for ensuring Zoning and land use compliance including permitted uses, parking requirements, building height, and signage.
Building Safety is responsible for reviewing building plans for compliance with city building ordinances and applicable state building regulations. The Building Division issues permits for grading, building, plumbing, electrical, mechanical and demolition permits for on-site construction. The Building Division is also responsible for inspection of on-site construction work and code enforcement.
Code Enforcement is responsible for responding to citizen requests to investigate potential violations related to property maintenance, noise, and illegal use of buildings.
Housing and Community Development
The City of Costa Mesa receives annual allocations of funds from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). These funds are authorized under HUD's Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, which is administered by the City's Housing and Community Development Division.
The Housing and Community Development Division is responsible for developing a program for expenditure of CDBG funds, which fulfills the Federal agency's objectives. These objectives may benefit low and moderate-income families and aid in the rehabilitation and development of blighted areas within the territorial limits of the City. The following programs may be employed to implement the HOME Program:
- To further fair housing by providing safe, decent, and sanitary housing for all segments of the community, specifically low and moderate-income families, the elderly, and the handicapped;
- To prevent blight and deterioration of community neighborhoods and facilities;
- To provide public services for the specialized needs of children, the elderly, the handicapped, and low and moderate-income families;
- To investigate and develop new programs to assist the City in meeting its housing needs;
- To provide technical and financial assistance to qualified homeowners to encourage the rehabilitation of existing single-family residences and mobile home units.
In addition to Block Grant funding, the Housing and Community Development Division implements the HOME Program. The HOME Program expands the supply of decent and affordable housing, particularly rental housing for low and very low-income residents. Additionally, the objectives include strengthening the abilities of the State and local governments to design and implement strategies for adequate supplies of decent and affordable housing. In Fiscal Year 2005-06, the City received $750,655 for the program, approximately 1% of the City's total resources. To meet the national objectives within the City of Costa Mesa, any of the following programs may be employed:
- Tenant Based Rental Assistance;
- First Time Homebuyers Assistance;
- Homeowners Rehabilitation Assistance;
- Property Acquisition;
- New Construction;
- Moderate Rehabilitation, Site Improvements, and Demolition.