There is hereby adopted by the city council those certain health
and housing standards known as the 1969 edition of the Southern Standard
Housing Code, of which not less than three (3) copies have been and
are now filed in the office of the clerk of the city, and the same
are hereby adopted and incorporated as fully as if set out at length
herein, and from the date on which this article shall take effect
the provisions thereof shall be controlling on all dwellings and premises
within the corporate limits of the city.
(Ordinance R-11-A-69, sec. I, adopted 11/24/69)
(a) The
office of housing enforcing official is hereby created.
(b) The
building official shall be appointed by the mayor subject to confirmation
of the city council. He shall be subject to removal at all times and
for any reason.
(Ordinance R-11-A-69, sec. II, adopted 11/24/69; Ordinance adopting Code)
It shall be the duty of the housing enforcing official to enforce
all laws and provisions specified in the 1969 edition of the Southern
Standard Housing Code.
(Ordinance R-11-A-69, sec. IV, adopted 11/24/69)
The housing enforcing official, in the discharge of his official
duties, and upon proper identification, shall have authority to enter
any building, structure, or premises at any reasonable hour.
(Ordinance R-11-A-69, sec. V, adopted 11/24/69)
Any buildings found to be in violation of such code shall be
condemned by the city building inspector, with written notice posted
on the structure located on such property. The record owner shall
be given notice of such action by certified mail with return receipt
requested and shall be given thirty (30) days after the receipt of
such notice, or forty (40) days after same is deposited in the United
States mail, to appear for a public hearing before the city council
at a regular meeting of the city council as specified in said notice,
and shall at such time:
(1) Give
assurances to the city council that said structures will be repaired
so as to meet the minimum standards of the minimum housing code adopted
by this article; or
(2) Give
assurances to the city council that such substandard housing be removed
from the premises and the lot be cleaned so as not to create a health
hazard.
(Ordinance adopted 10/10/77, sec.
II)
(a) Repair or removal by city.
After such hearing, provided
the buildings are found to be in violation of standards set out by
the housing code and provided that the owner does not appear at the
public hearing or does not take action to proceed to remove such dilapidated
structures within thirty (30) days of the hearing, the city council
herein authorizes the city secretary to take whatever steps necessary
to repair or remove said structures within a reasonable amount of
time.
(b) Sale of materials.
The city secretary is herein further
authorized to salvage whatever materials are recoverable and sell
same at public sale to the highest bidder after public notice is given
by advertising the sale of said materials. Notice is to be published
in the newspaper of general circulation in the city for three weeks
prior to said sale. Monies received from the sale of said materials
shall be used to recover costs of removal of the structures in the
city. If excess funds are received, they are to be delivered to the
record owner of the property.
(c) Lien for city’s costs.
In the event that the costs
of removal are not obtained from the sale of said materials, and the
city incurs removal expenses, it is herein authorized that a lien
be placed against the property to which the buildings are attached.
The city secretary is herein designated to file the necessary lien
instruments in the office of the county clerk against said property.
(Ordinance adopted 10/10/77, sec.
III)