(a) 
Whenever the required repair, vacation or demolition is not commenced within thirty (30) days after the effective date of any order, the building, structure or premises shall be posted as follows:
UNSAFE BUILDING
DO NOT OCCUPY
It shall be punishable by law to occupy this building or remove or deface this Notice
(Specify the applicable ordinance and the penalty for violation thereof)
Building Official
City of Brenham
(b) 
Subsequent to posting the building, the building official may cause the building to be repaired to the extent required to render it safe, or if the notice required demolition, to cause the building or structure to be demolished and all debris removed from the premises. The cost of repair or demolition shall constitute a lien on the premises as provided in this article.
(c) 
Any monies received from the sale of a building or from the demolition thereof, over and above the cost incurred, shall be paid to the owner of record or other persons lawfully entitled thereto.
(Ordinance O-24-019 adopted 8/15/2024)
The building official may approve one (1) or more extensions of time as he may determine to be reasonable to complete the required repair or demolition. Such requests for extensions shall be made in writing stating the reasons therefor. If the extensions of time, in total, exceed one hundred twenty (120) days, they must also be approved by the building and standards commission which may act without further public hearing.
(Ordinance O-24-019 adopted 8/15/2024)
In any case where the building and standards commission orders a substandard building or structure repaired or demolished and cleared or removed, and the owner of any such premises or building or structure which is a substandard building fails to correct, remedy or remove such condition, and the owner, or duly authorized representative of the owner, shall have exhausted his rights and remedies under this article, the commission may order such work or make such improvements as are necessary to correct, remedy or remove such conditions, or cause the same to be done, and pay therefor, and charge the expenses incurred thereby to the owner of such lot or premises. Such expense shall be assessed against the lot or real property upon which work was done, the improvements made or the demolishing, cleaning or removal of substandard buildings or structures accomplished. The performance of such work by the city or the ordering of same by the building and standards commission shall not relieve such person from prosecution for failure to comply with the notice.
(Ordinance O-24-019 adopted 8/15/2024)
(a) 
Whenever any work is done or improvements are made or any substandard building or structure is repaired, demolished, cleared or removed by the city under the provisions of this article, the building official, on behalf of the city, shall file a statement of the expenses incurred thereby with the county clerk. Such statement shall give the name and address of the owner, if it can be determined with a reasonable effort, the legal description of the affected property, the amount of such expenses, the date or dates on which the work was done, or the expenses incurred, and the costs of demolishing, cleaning, repairing or removing the conditions or substandard building and structure and the amount of expenses then due. When this statement is filed with the county clerk, the city shall have a lien on the lot or real estate upon which the work was done, or improvements made, or repairs made, or substandard buildings repaired, removed or demolished and cleared to secure the expenses thereof unless the property is homestead protected by the Texas Constitution.
If notice is given and the opportunity to repair, remove or demolish the building is afforded to each mortgagee and lienholder, the lien of the city is a privileged lien, subordinate only to taxes and all previously recorded bona fide mortgage liens attached to the property. The city's lien is superior to any previously recorded judgment liens. The amount of the city's lien shall bear interest at the rate of ten (10) percent per annum from the date the statement was filed with the county clerk. For any such expenditure, expense and interest suit may be instituted against the owner or owners. The statement of expenses for repairs or demolition made herein and filed with the county clerk, or a certified copy thereof, shall be prima facie proof of the amount expended for such work, improvements, repairs, demolition, clearance or removal.
(b) 
In any judicial proceeding regarding the enforcement of the city's rights under this section, the prevailing party is entitled to recover reasonable attorney's fees.
(c) 
A lien acquired by the city under this article for repair expenses may not be foreclosed if the property upon which the repairs were made is occupied as a residential homestead by a person sixty-five (65) years of age or older.
(Ordinance O-24-019 adopted 8/15/2024)
A person commits an offense punishable in accordance with section 1-5 of this code if:
(a) 
The person fails or refuses to respond to the direction of an order of the building official or building and standards commission after that order becomes final;
(b) 
The person shall obstruct or interfere with the implementation of any action required by the final order of the building official or the building and standards commission after that order becomes final; or
(c) 
The person willfully refuses to leave or fails to leave a building or structure which has been ordered vacated under the provisions of this article.
(Ordinance O-24-019 adopted 8/15/2024)