It shall be the duty and responsibility of the Building Commissioner to enforce the provisions of the Housing Code as herein provided.
(A) Coordination of enforcement. Inspection of premises and the issuing of orders in connection therewith under the provisions of this code shall be the exclusive responsibility of the Building Commissioner. Wherever, in the opinion of the Building Commissioner it is necessary or desirable to have inspections of any condition by any other department he or she shall arrange for this to be done in a manner that the owners or occupants of buildings shall not be subjected to visits by numerous inspectors nor to multiple or conflicting orders. No order for correction of any violation under this code shall be issued without the approval of the Building Commissioner, and it shall be the responsibility of that official before issuing any order to determine that it has the concurrence of any other department or official of the government concerned with any matter involved on the case in question.
(B) Administrative liability. Except as may otherwise be provided by statute or ordinance, no officer, agent or employee of the municipality charged with the enforcement of the Housing Code shall render himself or herself personally liable for any damage that may accrue to persons or property as a result of any act required or permitted in the discharge of his or her duties under this code. No person who institutes or assists in the prosecution of a criminal proceeding under this code shall be liable to damages hereunder unless he or she acted with actual malice and without reasonable grounds for believing that the person accused or prosecuted was guilty of an unlawful act or omission. Any suit brought against any officer, agent, or employee of the municipality, as a result of any act required or permitted in the discharge of his or her duties under this code, shall be defended by the legal representative of the municipality until the final determination of the proceedings therein.
(C) Inspections. The Building Commissioner shall make or cause to be made inspections to determine the conditions of dwellings, multi-family dwellings, dwelling units, rooming houses, rooming units and premises in order to safeguard the safety, morals and welfare of the public under the provisions of this code. The Building Commissioner is authorized to enter any dwelling, dwelling unit, multi- family dwelling, rooming house or premises at any reason able time for the purpose of performing his or her duties under this code. The owner, operator or occupant of every dwelling, multi-family dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming unit or the person in charge thereof shall give the Building Commissioner free access thereto and to all parts thereof and to the premises on which it is located at all reasonable times for the purpose of the inspection, examination and survey.
(Ord. 885, passed 1-2-1974; Am. Ord. 1102, passed 7-15-1986)