The Bureau of Building Inspection plays in an important role in solving the difficulties that abandoned properties engender in our neighborhoods. The city commissioned a study by TriData to address a scheme to streamline and increase the efficiency of the BBI —

The bureau was assigned new responsibilities late last year, but wasn’t given staff to pull them off, the report found. It is supposed to monitor storm water runoff, help identify disruptive properties so their owners can be billed for city services and handle a new rental registration system. Read the Post-Gazette article

TriData found that the biggest obstacle for the BBI to accomplish its mandate was a lack of central leadership. Other reccommendations include placing inspectors in the city Police precincts and streamlining the reporting process.