Now you can get away with concrete block if you use proper water repellant and drainage features. In fact, there is a city ordinance in place that requires all builders to follow these specifications when they use concrete block. However, there is absolutely no oversight that checks to make sure this is happening. The only way the city can find out about it is if the homeowner complains. And when this happens, the homeowner immediately becomes the person responsible for bringing their building back up to code – whatever the cost may be.