(a) Whenever a petition is filed with the Agency or its officer by at least five residents of the Municipality who are property owners, charging that any dwelling is unfit for human habitation, or that any building, whether used for human habitation or not, is unsafe, unsanitary, dangerous or detrimental to the public welfare, or whenever it appears to the Agency or its officer that any dwelling is unfit for human habitation, or that any building, whether used for human habitation or not, is unsafe, unsanitary, dangerous or detrimental to the public welfare, the officer shall, if his preliminary investigation discloses a basis for such charges, issue and cause to be served upon the owner of and parties in interest in such dwelling or building, a complaint stating the charges in that respect and containing a notice that a hearing will be held before the Agency, at a place therein fixed, not less than ten nor more than thirty days after the serving of such complaint. The owner and parties in interest shall have the right to file an answer to the complaint and to appear in person, or otherwise, and give testimony at the time and place fixed in the complaint. The hearing shall be informal and strict rules of procedure shall not be allowed or required.
(b) If, after such notice and hearing, the Agency determines that the dwelling under consideration is unfit for human habitation, or that any building, whether used for human habitation or not, is unsafe, unsanitary, dangerous or detrimental to the public welfare, it shall state in writing its findings of fact in support of such determination and shall issue and cause to be served upon the owner and parties in interest thereof an order requiring:
(1) If the repair, alteration or improvement of the dwelling or building can be made at a cost of not more than twenty-five percent (25%) of the value of the dwelling or building, exclusive of the real estate upon which it stands, that the owner, within the time specified in the order, repair, alter or improve such dwelling or building so as to render it fit for human habitation and/or safe, sanitary and not detrimental to the public welfare, or vacate and close the dwelling as a human habitation or demolish such building; or
(2) If the repair, alteration or improvement of the dwelling or building cannot be made at a cost of not more than twenty-five percent (25%) of the value of the dwelling or building, exclusive of the real estate upon which it stands, that the owner, within the time specified in the order, remove or demolish such dwelling or building.
(c) If the owner fails to comply with the order of the Agency to repair, alter or improve, or to vacate a dwelling, the Agency may cause such dwelling to be repaired, altered or improved, or to be vacated and closed, and from and after the date specified in the order of the Agency for the repair, alteration or improvement, or vacating and closing of the dwelling, the officer may cause to be posted on such dwelling a placard with the following words: "This building is unfit for human habitation and the use or occupation of this building for human habitation is prohibited and unlawful".
(d) If the owner fails to comply with the order of the Agency to remove or demolish the dwelling or building, the officer may cause such dwelling or building to be removed or demolished upon such conditions as the Agency may prescribe.
(Ord. 4-10-58)