The City’s Neighborhood Improvement Officer (NIO) performs the lead role in the prevention, enforcement and abatement of housing, nuisance, vegetation, zoning and sign code violations and serves as the City's liaison to neighborhood groups and residents for problem identification and solutions. The NIO works closely with other departments to address multiple types of neighborhood problems, including substandard housing, illegal dumping and litter, street lighting, alley maintenance, etc.
Through the NIO's efforts, the City strives to obtain compliance through education and time. When compliance has not been obtained on Code violation properties, cases are prosecuted using the Municipal Code Enforcement System (MUNICES).