How come every new upgrade construction, new roof, electric work

Villas - How come every new upgrade construction, new roof, electric work, even for a yard sale I had to get a permit? But yet another neighbor on Langs Ave. in Villas is completely re-doing the whole inside of the house, there's been a large trash dumpster in the street for close to a month. And no permits in the window. So you're telling me the code officer does not know about all this work always being done on this street with no one getting permits? You pick and choose who you go after to get permits.