A. Placarding Procedures: Any dwelling, dwelling unit or rooming unit found to be so damaged, decayed, dilapidated, unsanitary, unsafe or vermin infested that it creates a hazard to the health or safety of the occupants or of the public shall be determined to be unfit for human habitation and shall be so designated and placarded by the Director.
B. Order To Vacate Placarded Dwelling: Any dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming unit or any portion thereof placarded as being unfit for human habitation by the Director shall be vacated immediately or as ordered by the Director. (1978 Code §17-3)
C. Approval Required To Reoccupy Placarded Dwelling: No dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming unit or portion thereof which has been placarded as unfit for human habitation shall be used for human habitation again until written approval is secured from, and such placard is removed by, the Director. The Director shall remove such placard whenever the defect(s) for which the dwelling was placarded has been eliminated.
D. Removal Of Placard Prohibited: No person shall deface or remove a placard from any dwelling, dwelling unit or rooming unit which has been deemed unfit for human habitation and placarded as such, except as provided in subsection C of this section. (1978 Code §17-3; amd. 1994 Code)
E. Condemnation Referral: After a reasonable period of time after a property has been placarded and no remedial action begun, the City may pursue condemnation consistent with this Code and the Code of Iowa. (Ord. 15-4648, 11-10-2015)
F. Rent Abatement: Notwithstanding section 17-5-11 of this chapter, rent shall be abated if the Director placards the dwelling unit for violation of this chapter for more than five (5) consecutive days. Rent abatement means that the owner may not recover rent from the tenant. The effective date of the abatement is the date the dwelling unit was placarded. Notice to the owner and tenant of the rent abatement shall be given in the same manner as in section 17-5-11 of this chapter. (Ord. 17-4727, 10-3-2017)