Whenever a petition is filed with the agency or its executive officer by at least five residents of the city who are property owners, charging that any dwelling, building, or structure is dangerous unhealthy or unfit for human habitation, or whenever it appears to the agency or executive officer that any dwelling, building, or structure is dangerous, unhealthy, or unfit for human habitation, the executive officer shall, if his or her preliminary investigation discloses a basis for such charges, issue and cause to be served upon the owner of and parties in interest in such dwelling, building, or structure a complaint stating the charges and containing a notice that a hearing will be held before the agency, at a place therein fixed, not less than ten nor more than 30 days after the serving of such complaint. The owner and parties in interest shall have the right to file an answer to the complaint prior to such hearing and to appear in person, or otherwise, and give testimony at the time and place fixed in the complaint; the hearing shall be informal and strict rules of procedure shall not be followed or required.
(Prior Code, § 5-29)