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If any building shall be found in a dangerous and unsafe condition or uncompleted and abandoned, the building commissioner or the fire commissioner shall notify in writing the owner or owners thereof, directing the owner or owners to put such building in a safe condition, to enclose or to demolish it. Where, upon diligent search, the identity or whereabouts of the owner or owners of any such building shall not be ascertainable, the notice shall be mailed to the person or persons in whose name such real estate was last assessed. If, after 15 days subsequent to the giving of such notice, the owner or owners fail to put the building in a safe condition, to enclose or to demolish it, the building commissioner or fire commissioner may notify the department of law and recommend initiation of proceedings in accordance with this section, and upon receipt of such recommendation, the corporation counsel is hereby authorized to apply to the Circuit Court of Cook County for an order authorizing the city to demolish, repair or enclose, or requiring the owner of record to demolish, repair or enclose, the structure. The corporation counsel may initiate a court action to obtain the appropriate orders in the Circuit Court of Cook County to repair, enclose or demolish the building irrespective of whether a notice as described in this section is sent.
The cost of such demolition, repair or enclosure shall be recoverable from the owner or owners of such real estate, and shall be a lien thereon as provided by law.
Any owner who fails to take the action demanded in the notice shall also be fined not less than $200.00 per day and not more than $1,000.00 per day; for each day from the 16th day after the notice has been given until the building has been demolished, repaired or enclosed. If court action is initiated by the corporation counsel without notice as described in this section, the fine shall be imposed beginning on the day the summons is served on the owner.
(Prior code § 39-12; Amend Coun. J. 9-13-89, p. 4604; Amend Coun. J. 7-12-90, p. 18289; Amend Coun. J. 10-2-91, p. 6032)