Discussion and Review of Tiffin Municipal Code Revisions – Preparation for Setting the Public Hearing — Tiffin City Code - DRAFT

CHAPTER 156 HOUSING CODE 5. Search Warrant. If consent to inspect a building is withheld by any person having the lawful right to exclude, the Inspector may apply to a magistrate of the Iowa District Court for a search warrant of the building. No owner or occupant or any other person having charge, care, or control of any dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming unit, structure, or premises shall fail or neglect, after presentation of a search warrant, to properly permit entry therein by the Inspector or authorized representative for the purpose of inspection and examination pursuant to the Housing Code. 156.08 ACCESS BY OWNER OR OPERATOR FOR MAINTENANCE. Every occupant of a dwelling, dwelling unit, or rooming unit shall, upon proper notice, give access to the owner, operator, or agent or employee to any part of such dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming unit, or premises at all reasonable times for the purpose of effecting such maintenance, making such repairs, or making such alterations as are necessary to effect compliance with any lawful notice or order issued pursuant to the provisions of the Housing Code. 156.09 EMERGENCY ORDERS. Whenever the Inspector, in the enforcement of the Housing Code, finds that a condition exists which requires immediate action to protect the health or safety of the occupants or the general public, the Inspector may, without notice or hearing, issue an order reciting the existence of such a condition and requiring that action be taken such as the Inspector deems necessary to abate the condition. If necessary, the Director may order that the premises be vacated forthwith, and said premises shall not be reoccupied until the order to make repairs has been complied with. Notwithstanding other provisions of the Housing Code, such order shall be effective immediately or in the time and manner prescribed by the order itself. 156.10 PLACARDING OF STRUCTURES; CONDEMNATION REFERRALS. 1. Placarding Procedures. Any dwelling, dwelling unit, or rooming unit found to be so damaged, decayed, dilapidated, unsanitary, unsafe, or vermin-infested that it creates a hazard to the health or safety of the occupants or of the public shall be determined to be unfit for human habitation and shall be so designated and placarded by the Director. 2. Order to Vacate Placarded Dwelling. Any dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming unit, or any portion thereof placarded as being unfit for human habitation by the Director shall be vacated immediately or as ordered by the Director. 3. Approval Required to Reoccupy Placarded Dwelling. No dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming unit, or portion thereof which has been placarded as unfit for human habitation shall not be used for human habitation again until written approval is secured from, and such placard is removed by, the Director. The Director shall remove such placard whenever the defects for which the dwelling was placarded have been eliminated. 4. Removal of Placard Prohibited. No person shall deface or remove a placard from any dwelling, dwelling unit, or rooming unit which has been deemed unfit for human habitation and placarded as such, except as provided in Subsection 3 of this section. 5. Condemnation Referral. After a reasonable period of time after a property has been placarded and no remedial action begun, the Inspector may refer the case to the authority charged with enforcement. CODE OF ORDINANCES, TIFFIN, IOWA - 1328 -