In all cases referred to in this article which reach the council for action, either upon appeal of the owner from the ruling of the code enforcement officer or upon report of the code enforcement officer that the owner fails or refuses to comply with his order or direction, the council shall hear the matter, and if it finds and determines that the building or structure in question is in such a dilapidated or substandard state of disrepair as to constitute a fire or safety hazard, or to be dangerous to life, health or other property, or is a public nuisance, and that the owner of such building or structure has failed or refused to abate the nuisance and has failed or refused to have such building or structure demolished and removed or has failed or refused to take such other steps as may be necessary to abate the nuisance and remove the hazards found to exist, it may cause the demolition and removal of such building or structure to be done, or affect such other remedies as may be necessary to abate the nuisance and remove the hazards, and specially assess the cost of such work against the lot or parcel of land on which the building or structure was situated. Such assessment shall constitute a specific lien upon such lot or parcel of land, which may be enforced by an action instituted in the name of the town in the nature of an action to foreclose a mortgage as provided by state law in the case of ad valorem taxes and local improvement assessments.
(Code 1977, § 7-36)