Environmental Investigations Program

The primary focus of the Environmental Investigations Program is to prevent the loss of natural resources due to illegal activities. Unauthorized grading is one such prominent illegal activity, which often leads to increased runoff, stream bed siltation, habitat loss, and loss of vegetation and wildlife. Code enforcement staff work alongside other regulatory agencies as part of the San Luis Obispo Environmental Enforcement Group and as part of the San Luis Obispo/Santa Barbara Federal Environmental Task Force to investigate these illegal activities and prosecute all responsible parties.

Frequently Asked Questions

Information to many of the frequently asked questions.

National Pollutant Discharge Elimination Systems Program

Under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination Systems (NPDES), code enforcement staff enforce grading and illicit stormwater discharge requirements.

Report a Suspected Code Violation

Please use the CodeSLO link below to report a suspected code enforcement violation, and an investigation will be opened. Our staff will contact you if additional information is required.

Short-term Vacation Rental Hotline for Nights, Weekends, and Holidays

The County of San Luis Obispo has established a hotline for reporting an unlicensed vacation rental, or for making a complaint about a vacation rental, on nights, weekends, and holidays. Reports can be made online or by calling the hotline at (805) 723-2500.  The on-call hours will be:

Friday                  5 p.m. until 9 p.m.

Saturday              8 a.m. until 8 p.m.

Sunday                8 a.m. until 8 p.m.

Holidays               8 a.m. until 8 p.m.

Tenant Services Program

Through the Tenant Services Program, code enforcement staff will inspect rented homes at no charge if the tenant believes that the home is substandard. The only requirements are that the tenant has notified their landlord, in writing, of the problem and given their landlord a reasonable amount of time to address the problem and that the tenant is current on their rent (or the rent is being held in an escrow, savings, or trust account if it is being withheld).