DATE: October 6, 2026
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Development Services Director
SUBJECT
Title
Work Session: Introduction of the New Chief Building Official and Summary of Process Improvements
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RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
That the City Council accepts the oral report presented by Jeff Thomas, Chief Building Official, and provides any feedback related to shared process improvements
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SUMMARY
Jeff Thomas was hired as the new Chief Building Official for the City of Hayward effective June 25, 2026. Jeff joined Hayward from the City of Fairfield, where he had served as Chief Building Official since August 2019. Jeff began his career in construction in 1990 in a summer job while attending Cal Poly and studying math, engineering and manufacturing. He subsequently went on to serve in a variety of building capacities for the Counties of Santa Barbara and Placer before taking the Chief Building Official post in Fairfield. In the short few months since Jeff’s arrival in Hayward, he has begun to make a series of process improvements that he will present to the City Council.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment I Presentation