(a) Any dwelling or premises that are at any time unfit for human habitation or use, unless made habitable, shall be taken down and removed when so ordered by the Housing Code Compliance Officer.
(b) Any dwelling or premises declared unfit for human habitation or use may be restored to a habitable condition.
(c) Any dwelling or premises which has any of the following defects shall be deemed unfit for human habitation or use:
(1) Those which have improperly distributed loads upon the floors or roofs or in which the same are overloaded or have insufficient strength to be reasonably safe for the purpose used;
(2) Those which have been damaged by fire, wind or other causes so as to have become dangerous to life, safety, morals, or the general health and welfare of the occupants or other residents of the City;
(3) Those which have become so dilapidated, decayed, unsafe, unsanitary, or vermin infested or which so utterly fail to provide the amenities essential to decent living that they are unfit for human habitation or use or are so likely to cause sickness or disease that their condition constitutes a serious hazard to the health, morals, safety, or general welfare of the occupants or other residents of the City;
(4) Those having light, air, and sanitation facilities which are inadequate to protect the health, morals, safety, or general welfare of human beings who live or may live therein;
(5) Those having inadequate facilities for ingress and egress in case of fire, panic, or other emergencies, or those having insufficient stairways, elevators, fire escapes, or other means of communication;
(6) Those which have parts thereof which are so attached that the parts may fall and injure occupants, other residents or other property;
(7) Those which, because of their general condition or location, are unsafe, unsanitary or otherwise dangerous to the health, morals, safety, or general welfare of occupants or other residents of the City; or
(8) Those existing in violation of any of the provisions of the Building Code, the Fire Prevention Code, or other ordinances of the City.
(d) The Housing Code Compliance Officer shall use the following standards in ordering a dwelling or premises to be repaired, vacated, or demolished:
(1) When it can reasonably be repaired so that it will no longer exist in violation of any of the provisions of this Chapter, it shall be ordered repaired;
(2) When it is in such condition as to make it dangerous to the health, morals, safety, or general welfare of its occupants, it shall be ordered vacated;
(3) When it is 50% damaged, decayed, or deteriorated from its original value or structure, it shall be demolished, and in all cases where it cannot be repaired, or where the owner refuses or fails to repair the dwelling so that it will no longer be in violation of any of the terms of this Chapter, it shall be demolished. In all cases where it is a fire hazard, existing or erected in violation of any of the terms of this Chapter or any ordinances of the City, it shall be demolished.
(Ord. 04-063. Passed 1-26-04.)