City of San Jose Appeals Hearing Board

The seven members of the Appeals Hearing Board each serve a term of four years. The Appeals Hearing Board hears code enforcement cases on such issues as blighted conditions, illegal building activity, unsafe living conditions, neglected vacant houses, weed abatement liens, garbage liens, and other matters. The board also hears appeals of police permit denials or revocations, stop sign appeals, sign removal fees, utility billing and graffiti abatement fees.

The Appeals Hearing Board is quasi-judicial. The City's Administrative Remedies Ordinance provides a procedure which is used in lieu of criminal and civil judicial enforcement, including the imposition of penalties up to $2,500 a day per violation. When the board determines there is a violation, it can impose an order requiring compliance, reimbursement of all city enforcement costs, and payment of civil penalties.