SUMMARY OF CODE 150.101
CLEANLINESS OF PREMISES
BUILDING COMMISSIONER RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Enter premises to determine compliance.
2. Determine the identity & address of landowner
3. Send written notice by certified mail.
4. Have the city remove material & vehicles.
5. File a lien against the property with the County Recorder for all costs incurred by the city for removal.
Following is an explanation of the five steps listed above:
1. To determine compliance with this chapter, the Building Commissioner is entitled to enter upon the premises of any real property within the city.
2. If the Building Commissioner determines there is a violation of this section, he or she shall send by mail, a written notice to the owner(s) of the real estate, and to all other persons holding a substantial interest in the real estate (hereinafter "landowner"), requiring removal of the material and vehicles within 20 days.
3. The notice must also inform the landowner that failure to comply will result in the city removing and disposing of the material and vehicles at the landowner's expense.
4. The notice must also inform the landowner of his or her right to appeal the Building Commissioner's determination, according to the procedures set forth herein.
5. The Building Commissioner will determine the landowner's identity from the duplicate records of the County Auditor.
I was once in favor of rental inspections but after further research I realized that we already have the laws on the books and all we need to do is enforce them. We must keep in mind that unsafe houses are not just rental properties but owner occupied homes as well.
