Emergency Repairs Allowed for Damaged Structures
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX – The City of Corpus Christi Development Services Department oversees permitting and inspection of repairs to structures. The department is open and operating from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. In the event of an emergency, like damage from Hurricane Hanna, homeowners and businesses may make emergency repairs to protect their property.
A City building permit is not initially required for repairs. However, all homeowners, business owners, or contractors must apply for and obtain a City building permit from the Development Services Department, within five business days of beginning work/repairs.
The City requires that all contractors register with Development Services. Customers can call Development Services at 361-826-3240 to confirm whether a contractor is registered. Additionally, homeowners can perform limited repair work on their homestead, please call Development Services to confirm what repair work is allowed.
Permits will be issued the same day and standard fees apply. You may review the fee schedule online.
Contractors are required to call for inspections during stages of repair and/or construction. City inspectors will visit the property and make sure repairs comply with codes. These codes ensure the safety of the occupants and building.
All City inspectors wear a City-issued identification badge. Report any concerns about falsified permits or inspections to Development Services at 361-826-3240.
When it comes to restoring power to a building, if the weather head or meter base has been damaged or pulled away from the structure, it is the customer’s responsibility to have it repaired by a licensed and registered electrician. This must be done before AEP Texas can safely reconnect service.
Report downed powerlines to AEP Texas by calling 1-866-223-8508. Issues with City-owned utilities (water, wastewater, or stormwater lines or manholes) should be reported to the City at 361-826-CITY (2489).
The City can only fix public utilities in the street or utility easement not within private property. The homeowner is responsible for issues with private plumbing lines.
All repairs must comply with windstorm requirements. A certified windstorm inspector or engineer needs to be part of your contractor’s team to inspect the repair. The windstorm inspector submits the necessary forms to the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWI).
For repairs already completed, the windstorm inspector or inspector’s authorized representative will need to submit a WPI-1 form to TDI to apply for a certificate of compliance for a completed repair. The form can be found on TDI’s website.
Residents can also call the Texas Department of Insurance Windstorm Inspections Program at 1-800-248-6032 if they have questions about windstorm construction requirements or visit www.tdi.texas.gov/wind.
For more information, media representatives can contact Public Information Officer Dale Stephán at 361-826-3234 or by email at dales3@cctexas.com.