History of Code Enforcement
Town of Jupiter Code Compliance

The earliest building code that we are aware of was developed in approximately 2000BC by the Babylon ruler King Hammurabi.  The law provided that if a builder constructed a house so poorly that it fell and killed the homeowner, or his child, then the builder (or his own child) would be slain in recompense.  If the fall of the house took the life of the owner’s slave, the builder would then be required to replace the slave, and if goods were destroyed in the collapse, he must replace the goods.

After the collapse of an amphitheater in 27AD, which killed or injured 50,000 people, Rome enacted regulations for the safety of public buildings.  Thirty-seven years later, however, Rome burned, and though there has been much debate about the actual cause of the fire, the poor construction of buildings has always been considered a major part of the problem.

In the year 1189, the mayor of London promoted one of the earliest building codes, known as the “Assize of Buildings”, which regulated all methods of building and recommended use of party and stone walls, due to their fireproof qualities.  It is uncertain, however, how widely adhered to was this practice, since a fire occurred in 1212 and caused partial destruction of the city.  In 1666, the Great Fire of London burned out of control for five days and destroyed 15,000 buildings.  This led to legislation by the English Parliament known as the “London Building Act”, for which, unfortunately, there was little active enforcement.

The Chicago Fire of 1871, which killed 250 and left 100,000 without homes, inspired that city to enact a building and fire prevention ordinance.  What followed was more freewheeling construction with very little enforcement, resulting in tragedy and, finally, an adoption of a building code.