[Ord. 9-2004, eff. 6-8-2004]
The following provisions are governing, regulating, authorizing and directing the Chief of Building Inspection to direct, supervise and control the erection, construction, enlargement, alteration, repair, equipment arrangement, maintenance, inspection, lighting, heating, ventilation, use, occupancy, removal and demolition of buildings, parts of buildings, structures, premises and appurtenances thereto and appliances, apparatus, facilities, systems, and conditions in, or about them; adopting the Uniform Construction Code, of the State of Pennsylvania, and accepting the tests and analyses of testing laboratories as supplementary regulation hereof, and establishing a Board of Appeals to interpret such regulations and all other regulations herein; conferring upon the Bureau authority to make rules and regulations to carry out such provisions and the powers and duties to administer and enforce this Building Title, the prescribed Rules and Regulations and rulings, findings, and decisions of the Board of Appeals to issue or refuse to issue all building permits, certificates of occupancy and other permits and certificates and to collect the fees thereof, to issue approvals or disapprovals of tests and examinations made to prove the strength, suitability and fire-resistive qualities of building materials, systems, units and forms of construction to approve or disapprove plans, specifications and descriptions of building, structures and appurtenances thereto, to complete the abatement of fire and safety hazards in buildings and structures which are a menace to life, limb and property, and to do all other acts that may be necessary to carry into effect the Acts of Assembly and City Ordinances, now or hereafter enacted into law, relating to the subject matter herein; classifying, regulating and restricting buildings and structures according to use, occupancy, height and type of construction; requiring suitable and proper means of egress; prohibiting the use and occupancy of buildings and structures which are dangerous and unsafe, providing for the condemnation thereof and the method of collecting the cost or repair, removal, razing or otherwise remedying the condition in case the work is done by the City, regulating the design, erection, use, testing, approval and disapproval of building materials, systems, units and forms of construction and regulating, insofar as the use and occupancy of buildings and structures are concerned, the manufacture, storage and sale of explosives; are hereby enacted.
This Title 10 shall be known as the "Building Title" and may be referred to hereinafter as "this Title".
[Ord. 9-2004, eff. 6-8-2004]
The provisions of this Title, the Rules and Regulations of the Bureau of Building Inspection to carry out such provisions and the rulings, findings and decisions of the Board of Appeals interpreting this Title shall become effective June 8, 2004.
[Ord. 19-2007, § 1, eff. 11-19-2007; Ord. No. 12-2019, § 2, eff. 3-20-2019]
(a) 
This Title is hereby declared to be remedial and shall be construed to secure the beneficial interests and purposes, thereof, which are public safety, health and welfare through structural strength and stability, means of egress, adequate light and ventilation and safety to life, limb and property from fire and other hazards, incident to the design, construction, alteration, repair, removal, demolition, use or occupancy of buildings or structures and their appurtenant equipment.
If any section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this Title is for any reason declared to be invalid, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portion thereof. Council hereby declares that it would have passed this Title and each section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase irrespective of any one (1) or more sections, subsections, sentences, clauses or phrases being ruled invalid.
All regulations pertaining to the construction, alteration, repair, use occupancy and demolition of buildings or structures now or hereafter erected in the City or to any construction or installation in, or about such buildings or structures, except such regulations as are set forth in other laws or ordinances, are preemptively provided for in this Title.
All buildings and structures hereinafter erected in or moved into the City shall conform to all requirement of this Title. Additions, alterations, repairs and changes of use or occupancy in all buildings and structures shall comply with the requirements for new buildings and structures except as otherwise provided in Section 1001.08.
When any ordinance or part thereof conflicts with any provision of this Title, the provision imposing the greater restriction shall control. When any provision of an adopted standard code conflicts with any provision specified in this Title, the provision of this Title shall control.
[Ord. 9-2004, eff. 6-8-2004]
(a) 
Any persons, firm or corporation violating any of the provisions of this Title, which are not covered under section 903 of Act 45 (35 P. S. § 7210.903), shall, upon conviction thereof before any City Housing or Police Magistrate be fined not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) and costs for each and every violation or non compliance, and in default of a payment of such fine and costs shall be imprisoned for not more than ninety (90) days for each offense. Each day's violation shall constitute a separate offense. The imposition of a penalty shall not excuse the violation or permit it to continue, nor shall the imposition of a penalty be held to bar any other remedies provided by this Title. In the case of firms or associations, the penalty may be imposed upon the partners or members thereof, and in the case of corporations upon the officers thereof.
(b) 
In case any building or structure is constructed, reconstructed, altered, repaired, converted or maintained, or any building or land is used in violation of this Title, the Bureau of Building Inspection of the City, in addition to prosecuting the violator in accordance with the foregoing provision, shall have authority to institute appropriate actions or proceedings at law or in equity to prevent and restrain such unlawful construction, reconstruction, alteration, repair, conversion, maintenance or use and to restrain, correct or abate such violation, and to prevent the occupancy of such of building or structure.
[Ord. No. 24-2012, § 1, eff. 12-31-2012]
(a) 
The Chief of the Bureau of Building Inspection may identify up to ten (10) properties deemed the most blighted in the City based on the number of City of Pittsburgh Housing Court convictions against the property owner and the number of Property Maintenance Code (Code) citations served to that owner within a three hundred sixty-five-day period.
(b) 
The Chief of the Bureau of Building Inspection may take the following actions against a property owner whose property is deemed one (1) of the most blighted in the City based on the criteria set forth in (a), contingent upon the written approval of the Member of Council representing the property:
1. 
Notify the owner of the property via certified mail that a sign will be posted in thirty (30) days displaying the information outlined in section (b)2.;
2. 
Thirty (30) days after notification instruct the Department of Public Works to post a clearly visible sign the cost of which will be liened against the property owner, adjacent or closest to the premises which states the following information:
A. 
Property owner's name;
B. 
Property owner's home address;
C. 
Property owner's home and/or mobile phone number;
D. 
Brief description of the Code violations at the property;
E. 
Brief statement about the property owner's failure to appear in Housing Court and failure to pay fines levied for violations, if applicable.
3. 
In the event that the primary residence of the property owner is located in the city, the Chief of the Bureau of Building Inspection is also authorized to post a clearly visible sign the cost of which will be liened against the property owner, adjacent or closest to the primary residence instead of at the site of the blighted property, which states the following information:
A. 
Property owner's name;
B. 
The address of the property owner's delinquent property;
C. 
Property owner's home and/or mobile phone number;
D. 
Brief description of the Code violations at the delinquent property;
E. 
Brief statement about the property owner's failure to appear in Housing Court and failure to pay fines levied for violations, if applicable.
4. 
Instruct the Department of Public Works to maintain the sign until all Code violations on the premises have been abated or a period of 60 days from the placement of the sign elapses and the issues remain unabated. The sign shall be promptly removed upon abatement of all violations.
(c) 
The Chief of the Bureau of Building Inspection must investigate and consider posting appropriate signs at any property for which he/she receives a petition requesting such an investigation. The petition must meet the following requirements:
1. 
The petition contains at least twenty-five (25) original signatures (no photocopies);
2. 
The petitioners are eligible to vote;
3. 
The petitioners are residents of the City of Pittsburgh.
(d) 
The number of signs posted throughout the City shall be limited to ten (10) at any given time.
(e) 
The Chief of the Bureau of Building Inspection shall provide written notification to City Council identifying properties where signs have been posted, as well as information relating to Code violations at those properties.
(f) 
The Chief of the Bureau of Building Inspection shall provide the information contained in section (b)1. regarding the owner of any property where a sign has been posted to the Director of City Information Systems for broadcast on the City's cable channel and the City's website.
(g) 
Any persons caught attempting to remove or tamper with signs erected as described in section (b) will be punished to the fullest extent of the law.
(h) 
Properties owned by the City of Pittsburgh or any other governmental entities are not excluded from enforcement of the sanctions prescribed in this ordinance.
(i) 
The Chief of the Bureau of Building Inspection shall issue a report to City Council every ninety (90) days, or as requested, listing:
1. 
The addresses of properties with signs currently installed and the City of Pittsburgh Housing Court convictions and Code citations associated with those properties;
2. 
The addresses of properties about which petitions have been received and are under consideration;
3. 
The addresses of properties that have had signs removed after coming into compliance with the Code.
(j) 
The Chief of the Bureau of Building Inspection and the Director of Public Works are empowered to issue rules and regulations which are necessary to implement this legislation.
(k) 
The above action does not preclude the Chief of the Bureau of Building Inspection from simultaneously securing compliance through other lawful means.
(l) 
Consideration may be given to those individuals who are not the owners of the properties subject to this ordinance, but are lessees or renters of the properties and who have expressed their desire not to have a sign posted on or adjacent to the property.