Neighborhood Services

About Us 

Preserving the quality and character of Danbury’s neighborhoods, as well as improving and maintaining the quality of life for all of its residents, is the primary goal for the Office of Neighborhood Assistance, also known as the UNIT (Unified Neighborhood Inspection Team).  

The UNIT works closely with other respective departments to remedy Blight, Health, Housing, Zoning and Fire code violations in a timely and professional manner. Concerns ranging from blighted properties, illegal apartments, unregistered vehicles, neighborhood nuisances, unpermitted construction and overcrowded, unsafe living conditions are just some of the many issues that our department addresses. Additionally, the UNIT partners with the Danbury Police Department to investigate graffiti activity, illegal dumping, issue tickets for parking violations, and remove any abandoned or unregistered motor vehicles parked on city streets.

Our department has become the model of “one-stop shopping,” as residents can submit a complaint regarding any matter of concern and it will be appropriately addressed. It is essential that our team responds quickly and efficiently to their concerns. We appreciate their support in helping to maintain and improve the quality of life for all residents of Danbury. Our department strives to enhance Danbury’s position as a premier place to live, work, and raise a family.

Our Accomplishments

After experiencing two years of the COVID pandemic, including the fears and restrictions around it, residents and property owners have reemerged with a renewed sense of confidence and energy. Property improvement projects have increased. Property values have skyrocketed as evidenced by the booming real estate market. This has increased an acute sense of awareness by property owners to report quality of life concerns within their community. This same energy became infectious within our department. In addition to responding to the concerns of Danbury’s residents, our department increased our proactive enforcement activity by 7% over the last year, which is a significant jump.

• For the fiscal year 2021-2022, the UNIT responded to nearly 1,100 quality of life issues. 
• Approximately 44% of UNIT activity was a result of proactive enforcement referred to as ACTION (Active Commitment Toward Improving Our Neighborhoods). Instead of waiting for a resident complaint or overlooking an issue in a neighborhood, our department addresses it quickly before it may become a greater concern.
• Over 300 properties containing garbage and debris were cleaned up due to UNIT intervention. These issues create an eyesore in our community that can decrease the value of the properties.
• 65 Blight Orders and Violation Notices were issued to property owners to address and correct blighted conditions. These orders carry a $100/day penalty if the items are not corrected within a 30 day period.
• Over 100 properties were inspected due to concerns of illegal apartments or unsafe living conditions, as well as unpermitted construction. All concerns/complaints are inspected to ensure the safety of our residents. Our department coordinates with the Zoning, Building, Health and Fire Marshal departments to ensure safety and code compliance.
• Revitalization of many city streets, as a result of the enforcement of addressing repetitive vehicles parking over the curbs, on the sidewalks or other unpermitted areas. This improves the safety and neighborhood curb appeal. Nearly $9000 worth of parking tickets were issued. Highlights of some neighborhoods include Franklin, Hoyt, Pahquioque Streets and several others, with many more to come.
• Our department has led and coordinated the social service outreach to several residents in town in dire need of assistance fundamental to their safety and livelihood. Examples include assistance to homeless individuals in need of shelter and food, residents without heat, water or electricity and others precarious scenarios.
• Our department oversees and participates in various cleanup projects within our city ensuring a clean community. This includes litter pickup, graffiti and sign removal and larger scale area cleanups. We take much pride in preserving our city, keeping it clean and graffiti free.

Goals

With a recent addition to staffing for our department, the UNIT will be able to better provide a more comprehensive enforcement coverage and response to the community. Evening and weekend coverage will expand thus providing more exposure with the community.

• Increase exposure to our residents within their neighborhoods, knocking on doors and be available to answer questions and to educate the city ordinances and expectations within our diverse community. 
• Expand and/or create current city codes and ordinances to propose new enforcement measures to meet the evolving needs of the Danbury community. 
• The UNIT’s most notable accomplishments are measured everyday as our department strives to preserve and maintain the quality of life in Danbury. Each resolved issue equals a small, individual success resulting in the overall positive appearance of Danbury’s neighborhoods. We pride ourselves on our quick responses, professional service and appropriate follow up to the concerns of the residents of Danbury.