[Amended 12-4-2023 by Ord. No. 104-2023]
A. Testing for health hazard. The City of Reading can perform or cause the performance of an environmental investigation of a dwelling to determine whether there exists a lead source health hazard under § 328-106 upon receipt of:
(1) Notification by a certified medical professional that a child under six years of age living in a specified dwelling has an elevated blood lead level; or
(2) Credible information and/or documentation indicating that there exists or may exist in a dwelling in which a child umder the age of six resides or regularly visits, a lead-based coating or other source of lead which may cause or contribute to the child's elevated blood lead level.
B. Notice of violation. Following an environmental investigation, if it is determined that there exists a health hazard under § 328-106, the City of Reading shall issue a violation notice ordering the owner, to abate the lead source health hazard by removal, encapsulation or enclosure or to perform interim controls such as repainting enclosure or other acceptable method of the hazard abatement in a reasonable time as specified by a certified Pennsylvania risk assessor. The owner to whom the violation notice has been directed shall bear the cost of abatement and shall follow state and federal guidelines prescribing abatement activities. Before lead work has been completed and before the dwelling is reoccupied, the dwelling shall be cleared for occupation by a certified risk assessor or inspector. The owner to whom the violation notice has been directed shall submit proof, satisfactory to the City of Reading, of abatement promptly upon completion.
(1) Nothing in § 328-107B. shall prevent the owner of a dwelling from first applying to and if qualified and approved participating in the City of Reading Lead Hazard Control Program, should it be in effect, to abate the lead source health hazard through this Program. Should the owner not be qualified and approved to participating in this Program, the owner continues to bear the responsibility to abate the lead source health hazard and for the cost of abatement.
C. Placarding of property. If the owner to whom the violation notice has been directed fails to abate the hazard in a reasonable time as specified by the City of Reading, the dwelling may be placarded with a sign that indicates: "This property is unfit for human habitation due to lead poisoning hazards and cannot be reoccupied until all the hazards are abated." It shall be illegal for anyone but the City of Reading to remove or obstruct the visibility of said placard. The City of Reading shall remove said placard upon application by the owner, and payment of a $150 administration fee, following determination that the lead source health hazard has been abated.