Any dwelling or dwelling unit which shall be found by the director to have any of the following defects shall be condemned as unfit for continued occupancy and human habitation and shall be so designated by the director:
A. 
One which according to the provisions of Sections 5.12.640 to 5.12.720 and Section 15.12.740 is so lacking in sanitation, heating, lighting or ventilation facilities that it creates a serious hazard to the health or safety of the occupants or of the public.
B. 
One which according to the provisions of Section 15.12.730, and which because of its general condition, number of occupants, or location, is so unsanitary, overcrowded or otherwise dangerous or detrimental that it creates a serious hazard to the health or safety of the occupants or of the public.
C. 
One which according to the provisions of Section 15.12.750 is so decayed, damaged, dilapidated, unsanitary, unsafe or infested that it creates a serious hazard to the health or safety of the occupants or of the public.
(Prior code § 14-29)
Whenever the director determines that a dwelling or dwelling unit, rooming house or rooming unit is unfit for continued occupancy as provided for in this chapter, he or she shall include within the notice of violation provided for in Section 15.12.180, a statement of his or her intent to condemn and placard the dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming house or rooming unit as unfit for continued occupancy and to require it to be vacated if the provisions of the notice of violation are not complied with. A copy of such notice of violation shall be served on the owner, operator and the occupant in the manner provided in Section 15.12.180.
(Prior code § 14-31)
Whenever a notice of violation as provided for in Section 15.12.340 has not been complied with, the director may include within the compliance order, a finding to the effect that the dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming house or rooming unit is unfit for continued occupancy and such finding shall be an order to vacate within a reasonable time not to exceed sixty (60) days. Such compliance order shall be served upon the owner, operator and the occupant in the manner provided for in Section 15.12.190 and service shall be made at least ten (10) days prior to the effective date of the order to vacate. An appeal from such compliance order may be taken to the housing board of review in the manner provided for in Sections 15.12.470 to 15.12.630.
(Prior code § 14-32)
Any dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming house or rooming unit condemned as unfit for continued occupancy shall be so designated and placarded and shall be vacated within such reasonable time, not to exceed thirty (30) days, as the director may specify in the compliance order.
(Prior code § 14-33)
No dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming house or rooming unit which has been condemned and placarded as unfit for continued occupancy shall again be used for habitation until written approval therefor and for removal of the placard is secured from the director.
(Prior code § 14-34)
No person shall deface or remove the placard from any dwelling, dwelling unit or rooming unit which has been condemned as unfit for continued occupancy and placarded as such, except as provided in the preceding section.
(Prior code § 14-35)
The director may order the owner of every dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming house or rooming unit which is condemned as unfit for continued occupancy and vacated shall make such dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming house or rooming unit safe and secure in whatever manner the director may deem necessary so that the dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming house or rooming unit shall not be dangerous to human life, and shall not constitute either a fire hazard or a public nuisance. Any such vacant dwelling open at doors and windows, if unguarded, shall be deemed dangerous to human life as a fire hazard and a public nuisance within the meaning of this section.
The director shall have the authority to order that any of the above mentioned buildings be boarded. Any building which is so boarded shall comply with the following specifications: All openings (including doors and windows) from cellar to second floor inclusive, and all windows above the second floor leading to fire escapes, porches or structural appurtenances on all floors must be covered from the exterior with one-half inch thick plywood secured with either 10d common nails or screws of a minimum length of one and one-half inch, placed twelve (12) inches on center. All other windows must be secured from the exterior with either plywood or seven­eighth inch matched boards. All plywood must be painted on its exterior side.
The director may order that any building which has been boarded for a period of six months or more be demolished unless the owner of such structure shall file with the building inspector a performance bond guaranteeing that the building will comply with the minimum housing code of the city within a period of six months.
(Prior code § 14-36)
Whenever the director determines that a dwelling or dwelling unit is unfit for human habitation and continued occupancy as provided in this chapter, and that the cost necessary to alleviate the violation is not reasonably related to the value of the dwelling, he or she shall include within the notice of violation provided for in Section 15.12.180, a statement of his or her intent to order the demolition of the dwelling; provided, however, that the owner at his or her discretion may repair, alter or improve the dwelling in order to alleviate the violation regardless of whether or not the cost is reasonably related to the value, or may demolish the dwelling at his or her own expense pursuant to the provisions of Section 15.12.260; and further provided, that the owner alleviate the violation within the time specified in the notice of violation. A copy of such notice shall be served on the owner, occupant, lessee, mortgagee and all other persons having any interest in such dwelling as shown by the records of the recorder of deeds, in the manner provided for in Section 15.12.180; provided, however, that in the event that any such person is not identified or located, service may be made upon him or her by publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the city once a week for two successive weeks. For purposes of this section, any repair, alteration or improvement that is determined by the director to cost more than fifty (50) percent of the assessed valuation of the dwelling shall be deemed to be not reasonably related to the value of the dwelling.
(Prior code § 14-37)
Whenever a notice of violation as provided for in the preceding section has not been complied with, the director may include within the compliance order, a finding to the effect that the dwelling is unfit for human habitation and continued occupancy, and such finding shall be an order to demolish the dwelling. Such compliance order shall be served upon the owner, occupant, lessee, mortgagee and all other persons having any interest in the dwelling, as shown by the records of the recorder of deeds, in the manner provided for in Section 15.12.190; provided, however, that in the event that any such person is not identified or located, service may be made upon him or her by publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the city once a week for two successive weeks and service shall be made at least three months prior to the effective date of the demolition provisions of the order. An appeal from such compliance order may be taken to the housing board of review in the manner provided for in Sections 15.12.470 to 15.12.630.
(Prior code § 14-38)
Whenever a compliance order issued pursuant to the provisions of Section 15.12.410 and providing for the demolition of a dwelling has not been complied with, and the cost of the repair has been determined by the director to be more than fifty (50) percent of the assessed valuation of the dwelling, the director may demolish the dwelling at the expense of the owner.
(Prior code § 14-39)
Whenever a compliance order to repair, alter or secure a dwelling found by the director to be unfit for human habitation and continued occupancy has not been complied with, the director may, at the expense of the person responsible for alleviating the violation, take such direct action as is necessary to alleviate the violation, if the cost of such action is reasonably related to the value of the dwelling. For the purposes of this section any repair, alteration or securing that is determined by the director to cost fifty (50) percent or less of the assessed valuation of the dwelling shall be deemed to be reasonable. The power of the director to repair or alter shall be limited to the alleviation of conditions which affect occupied dwellings or dwelling units.
(Prior code § 14-40)
Whenever the owner fails to comply with an order to repair, alter or improve, or to demolish a dwelling which has been determined to be unfit for human habitation and continued occupancy, and the director has taken direct action pursuant to the provisions of Sections 15.12.420 and 15.12.430, the costs incurred by him or her in such action shall be a lien against the real property and such lien shall be enforced in the manner provided or authorized by law for the enforcement of common law liens on personal property. Such lien shall be recorded.
If the dwelling is demolished by the director, he or she may sell the materials of such dwelling and the net cost of the demolition shall be charged to the owner, and if any balance remains, it shall be held for the owner or any other parties entitled thereto; and in every case, the cost of direct action shall be the costs necessary to perform the required work as expeditiously as possible, together with a ten (10) percent service charge in addition thereto.
(Prior code § 14-41)
A. 
The building inspector, or his or her designee, is authorized to take necessary action to collect liens placed by his or her department for demolition or for boarding of abandoned buildings, and to deposit same in the general fund to be credited for further boarding and/or demolition of buildings.
B. 
Said building inspector is further authorized to accept property in lieu of cash for payment of such liens, which properties the city may sell in the usual manner.
(Prior code § 14-41.1)
Notwithstanding the other provisions of this chapter, no dwelling shall be vacated or demolished by the director, under the powers granted to him or her by the provisions of this chapter, until persons occupying the dwelling at the time the compliance order is issued have been offered housing accommodations in a decent, safe and sanitary dwelling which meets the requirements of this chapter.
(Prior code § 14-42)