What does the term "involuntary compliance" refer to in code enforcement?

The term "involuntary compliance" in code enforcement refers to instances where compliance with laws or regulations is achieved through legal measures rather than voluntary actions by property owners. This typically involves the use of fines, legal action, or other enforcement mechanisms when a property owner does not adhere to relevant codes on their own accord.

In this context, it highlights the role of enforcement agencies in ensuring that codes are followed by applying penalties or taking necessary legal steps to compel compliance. This is significant as it underscores the distinction between situations where compliance is willingly achieved versus those that require external intervention to uphold public health, safety, and welfare through code enforcement. Other choices do not accurately capture this concept; they focus either on voluntary actions, actual compliance, or failure to meet requirements, which do not reflect the nature of involuntary compliance specifically.