(a) Housing Director: Appointment; Code Enforcement Officer(s). There shall be appointed by the Director of Public Safety and Service of the City of Massillon a Code Enforcement Officer(s) certified by the ICC (International Code Council) as Property Maintenance and Housing Inspector. (Ord. 44-2011. Passed 4-18-11.)
(b) Duties of the Housing Director. The duties of the Housing Director shall be the enforcement of the provisions of this Housing Code relating to standards in occupancy of buildings and dwellings.
(c) Housing Inspectors; Appointment and Duties; Additional Code Enforcement Officer(s); Appointment and Duties. There shall be further appointed by the Director of Public Safety and Service of the City additional Code Enforcement Officers or other administrative personnel as Council may authorize to administer and enforce the provisions of this chapter.
(d) Director's Power to Inspect. The Housing Director is authorized and directed to make inspections to determine the condition of dwellings, dwelling units, rooming houses, rooming units and premises located within the City in order that he may perform his duties of safeguarding the health and safety of the occupants of such dwellings, dwelling units, rooming houses, rooming units and premises and of the general public.
(e) Right of Entry; Search Warrant. The Housing Director or his assistant shall have the right of entry at reasonable times and reasonable hours into all structures, buildings and dwellings in the City wherein there is reasonable grounds to believe that there is a violation of the standards or provisions of this Housing Code.
Where the person lawfully in occupancy of such premises withholds his assent thereto, such right of entry and inspection can be exercised only under authority of a search warrant issued by a court of competent jurisdiction as provided by law. No warrant shall be issued except upon a sworn complaint, in ordinary and concise language, based upon knowledge and belief which satisfies the court that there is reasonable ground to believe that a violation exists.
(f) Contempt Proceedings for Failure to Give Free Access. The owner or occupant of every dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming house or rooming unit, or the person in charge thereof, who fails or refuses to give the Housing Director or his assistant free access to the dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming house, or rooming unit under his control, after the Housing Director or his assistant has presented identification signed by the President of the Building Board of Appeals and has produced the search warrant provided for in subsection (e), shall be punished by proceedings in contempt.
(g) Granting Free Access for Repairs Required. Every occupant of a dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming house or rooming unit shall give the owner thereof, or his agent or employee, access to any part of each dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming house or rooming unit and its premises at all reasonable times and reasonable hours, for the purpose of making such repairs or alterations as are necessary to effect compliance with this Housing Code or with any rule, regulation or order issued pursuant to this Housing Code, upon the presentation to such occupant of a final order issued by the Building Board of Appeals directing that such repairs or alterations be made.
(Ord. 41-1989. Passed 3-20-89.; Ord. 71-1992. Passed 4-6-92.)