Columnist Jeff German: Inspectors’ work is far from over

Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2005 | 10:47 a.m.

County building inspectors couldn't declare total victory outside the County Government Center Tuesday in their two-week battle with the valley's influential homebuilders.

But they had reason to cheer as they gathered around Jane McAlevey, the executive director of the local Service Employees International Union, moments after a two-hour hearing before the County Commission.

McAlevey told her union members that they could take credit for a "big win for homeowners" and for "kicking the butts" of the politically connected developers -- something she said is a rarity in local government circles.

Just how big a beating the homebuilders took, however, can be debated.

The commissioners still gave the developers what they wanted -- access to a pool of private inspectors to move along the booming construction process.

The developers two weeks ago contended that a shortage of county building inspectors has led to inspection delays and slowed their ability to get new homes into the hands of buyers.

But the proposal approved Tuesday was far different than the one the developers were pushing two weeks ago -- primarily because of intense opposition from the building inspectors, who weren't afraid to criticize their bosses for kowtowing to the developers.

The original plan would have allowed the homebuilders to hire private contractors to supplement the work of the county inspectors.

But after the inspectors made a case that such a move was not in the best interests of homebuyers and could lead to more home defects, the county commissioners came up with a compromise.

They approved a program instead that gives the county the ability to hire the additional private inspectors. And they added a provision that brings the program back before the commission in a year.

"We've come a long way to make sure the quality of construction is assured," Commission Chairman Rory Reid said prior to the unanimous vote.

McAlevey said the compromise brings "accountability" to the program.

"The public's going to control these people," she said. "That's a lot better than the developers controlling them."

But the fight is far from over.

The commissioners apparently were so eager to accommodate the campaign-contributing developers that they approved the new inspector plan without firming up details about how it will be implemented.

Basic things like establishing qualifications and ethical standards for the independent contractors have yet to be worked out. No fee schedules have been set up, either.

The commissioners expect to fill in the blanks at next month's meeting.

They agreed to schedule a public workshop in the meantime with the homebuilders and building inspectors to hash out the details.

That gave the inspectors another reason to cheer after Tuesday's hearing. They've been complaining that their bosses have kept them in the dark about the plan the past two weeks.

"At least now we're going to have some input," said Zack Gharibian, a senior building inspector and SEIU shop steward. "That's what we've wanted all along."

Added McAlevey: "This sends a message to the Building Division and the developers that the voices of the people who do this work matters."