Inquiry on Handling of Complaints Asked

Supervisor Todd Spitzer has asked county officials to examine their handling of allegations that contractors performed shoddy work on homes being rehabilitated under a county grant program.

Spitzer complained that officials wrote a memo to a department deputy director in August saying that problems existed, including unsafe installation of water heaters and wiring--but that the document didn’t reach the Board of Supervisors until last week.

County officials said they already are studying how the allegations were handled and vowed to make repairs to the homes.

Spitzer raised his concerns during Tuesday’s board meeting, asking Chief Executive Officer Jan Mittermeier to explain “how your office failed to oversee this issue and whether it kept this board appraised of the situation accurately.”

The supervisor also asked the district attorney’s office to explain why it decided not to charge any of the contractors after reviewing the construction work last year.

The controversy centers on the county’s Housing Rehabilitation Program, which provides $1 million a year in grants to low-income residents for home improvements. The work is then performed by private contracts. Residents have complained to the county that the contractors’ work was inadequate.

It is not certain how many homes might have been affected.