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welcome to an overview of the city's
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minimum housing code my name is Jane
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Talon and I'm your code enforcement
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manager with housing and neighborhood
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services today we're going to provide an
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overview of the city's housing code and
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the options available to the code
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enforcement division when a structure is
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found to be in violation of the city's
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housing code we will review the housing
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code process the minimum standards of
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fitness and the in rem process one of
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the responsibilities of the code
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enforcement division is to enforce the
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city's housing code the housing code
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outlines the process that is required
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when a structure is found to be in
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violation of the city's housing code as
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well as the minimum standards of fitness
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which are the most basic living
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conditions for residents the housing
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code applies to single-family and
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multi-family dwellings along with
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rooming houses and lodging
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establishments the housing code provides
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a process for interim remedy that could
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result in the city repairing a property
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or demolishing a property a minimum
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housing code case is received through a
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tenant complaint a petition a public
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agency referral or a field observation
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can be conducted by staff upon receipt
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of a request the inspector will contact
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the citizen to schedule a time for an
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inspection or upon the identification of
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a field observation the inspector will
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send an access letter to the property
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owner if an owner refuses access to a
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property or is unresponsive the
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inspector will secure an administrative
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warrant for access once the inspector
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has gained access to the structure a
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comprehensive inspection will be
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conducted the comprehensive inspection
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includes the exterior interior attic and
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crawl space if the inspector identifies
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violations a report will be generated
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and the owner will be sent a complaint
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and notice of hearing the complaint and
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notice of hearing is a required legal
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notice which informs the owner that code
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enforcement has inspected the property
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and has alleged that code violations
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exist the notice also schedules a
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hearing which is an opportunity for the
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owner to dispute the allegations or
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provide evidence that the violations
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have been corrected the hearing must be
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conducted no more than 30 days after
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serving the complaint notice of hearing
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hearing is open to the public and
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attendance is optional at the time of
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the inspection
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if the inspector identifies violations
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that are defined as eminently dangerous
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the owner has 48 hours to correct the
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violation if the violation is not
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corrected within 48 hours the resident
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will be eligible for a referral to the
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emergency relocation program the
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resident will be referred to a partner
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agency for eligibility the violations
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that trigger a referral are rotted fire
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damaged or insect damage steps flooring
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or structural supports fire hazard and a
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chimney that is in use unsafe wiring
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unsafe ceiling or roof no potable water
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supply
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no operable heating equipment during
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November December January February or
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March no operable sanitary facilities
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severe rat infestation where the place
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of habitation is not impervious to pests
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no safe continuous and unobstructed exit
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from the interior of the building to the
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exterior at Street or grade level no
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access provided to all rooms within a
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dwelling unit without passing through a
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public space any window or door
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providing access to any dwelling unit or
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rooming unit lacking an operable lock or
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the owner failing to provide a change of
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locks or keys to a new tenant of such
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dwelling unit or rooming unit no
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operable smoke detector or alarm every
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place of habitation shall comply with
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the current county health regulations
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governing carbon monoxide alarms once
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the hearing is conducted the inspector
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will issue a finding effect in order the
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finding effect and order will set a
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compliance date 30 days from the hearing
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date and the order will be either a
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repair order or a demolition order based
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on the cost estimate if the repairs are
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less than 65% of the structures tax
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value the structure is considered
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deteriorated and a repair order is
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issued
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if the repairs exceed 65% of the
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structures tax value the structure is
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considered dilapidated and a demolition
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order is issued for example if the cost
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estimate is $67,000
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the structures tax value is $100,000
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then the repair cost is 67% and the cost
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exceeds 65% of this structures tax value
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so a demolition order is issued another
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example if the cost estimate is $25,000
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and the structures tax value is $100,000
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the repair cost is 25 percent which is
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less than 65 percent so a repair order
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is issued upon expiration of the order
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staff must make a decision on how to
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proceed based on the current status of
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the case the options available to staff
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include issuing a uniform citation for
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environmental court issuing a notice of
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civil penalty which is currently $100
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for the first day and $10 for each
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additional day which goes to $100 per
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day starting January 1st of 2020 until
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the structure is brought into compliance
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or prepare the case for City Council to
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approve an interim demolition or an
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interim repair a notice of civil penalty
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is issued when an owner is non-compliant
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unresponsive to request is unable to be
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located and/or is located out of state a
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notice of civil penalty can be issued
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for either a repair order or a
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demolition order the notice of civil
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penalty puts an owner on notice that
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they are being fined for non-compliance
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with the ordinance code enforcement does
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not issue civil penalties to owner
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occupants an owner is cited to
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environmental Court when they are
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non-compliant and they can be served
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with a uniform citation the uniform
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citation must be served in person to the
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owner by a charlotte-mecklenburg police
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officer the code enforcement divisions
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last option to gain compliance is to
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bring a case to City Council for
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approval the two types of cases that
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would be brought to City Council are
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interim repair and interim demolition
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the city's housing code identifies that
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a minimum standards which a dwelling
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must meet for it to be considered
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habitable the standards of fitness are
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categorized as space and use which
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establishes minimum room area sizes
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allowable for dwellings based on floor
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area of habitable rooms habitable rooms
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include rooms for living sleeping or
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eating minimum ceiling heights
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and dimensions are also established and
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criteria is set forth for basements
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which are being used as habitable rooms
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minimum window sizes are in this section
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and additional requirements include
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enclosing toilet and bathing facilities
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access to rooms requirements for doors
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locks smoke and carbon monoxide
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detectors the next section is light and
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ventilation which establishes minimum
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open above window sizes operation
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condition glazing and screening
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requirements it sets forth standards of
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operability for kitchen exhaust
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equipment clothes dryer vents and ducts
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kitchen vents and dryer vents are both
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new requirements the next section is
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exit requirements which requires that
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there be two main exits unless there is
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an exemption for one exit in the State
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Building Code this section also requires
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minimum sizes for exits and that exits
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and exit ways be unobstructed and safe
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the next section is plumbing facilities
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which prohibits leaks at showers and
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pipes and fixtures this section requires
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a potable drinking water supply along
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with protection from freezing for water
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pipes this section requires hot water
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facilities which are adequate and safe
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floor surfaces and bathrooms must be
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constructed and maintained to be
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reasonably impervious to water and
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easily kept clean a toilet bathing area
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lavatory and kitchen sink are required
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in all dwellings the next section is
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heating facilities which requires that
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all dwellings be weatherproof heating
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facilities must be provided and be safe
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and maintained minimum temperature is 68
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degrees Fahrenheit space heaters are
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allowed only for supplemental heating
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air conditioning if provided by the
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owner must be safe maintained and
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operate as originally intended
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in addition chimneys flue pipes
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fireplaces hearths must be maintained in
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safe and operable condition the next
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section is electrical facilities which
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requires all switches receptacles
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ceiling fixtures and wiring be in safe
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and safely operable condition extension
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cords cannot be over six feet in length
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in circuits or fuses cannot be bridged
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or oversized minimal outlets and in
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all light fixtures are a requirement the
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next section is structural standards
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which requires that structural
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components and foundations be adequate
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and in good condition
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flooring must be reasonably level and
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not defective or loose siding must be
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weather tight and in good condition
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interior ceiling and wall finishes must
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be free of stains or moisture damage and
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roof framing and sheathing must be in
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good condition and properly installed
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proper roof flashing is required roof
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leaks are prohibited roof drainage is
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required to be adequate gutters and
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downspouts must operate as intended
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stairs are required to be uniform in
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height and width stairways and steps are
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required to be maintained in a safe
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condition the next section is property
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maintenance which requires maintenance
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of exterior areas including accessory
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structures fences yards and courts
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adequate facilities for garbage and
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rubbish must be provided this section
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also requires that kitchen and bathroom
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countertops and cabinets be easily
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maintained and operate as intended the
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last section is insulation which
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requires a minimum of our 19 insulation
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in the ceiling of the top floor of up to
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a three-story structure there is no
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insulation requirement in the housing
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code for structures of four or more
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stories a case is brought to City
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Council for approval when all other
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options have been exhausted the first
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type of case that could be brought to
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City Council for approval is an interim
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repair a case meets the criteria for
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interim repair when the cost to complete
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the repairs is less than 65% of the
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structures tax value according to the
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housing code the city would have to
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demonstrate that the owner has no
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intention to make the repairs before
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City Council could approve the request
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once the request is approved staff
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facilitates the repair process and bills
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the owner for the work if the owner
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fails to pay the invoice the city places
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a lien on the property the second type
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of case that would be brought to City
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Council for approval is an interim
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demolition a case meets the criteria for
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interim demolition when the cost to
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complete the repairs is more than 65% of
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the structures tax value the code
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enforcement division seeks in rem
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demolition when the owner fails to
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comply with a demolition order by either
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polishing or repairing the structure and
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the cost to repair the structure exceeds
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65% of the structures tax value once the
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request is approved staff facilitates
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the demolition process and bills the
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owner for the work if the owner fails to
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pay the invoice the city places a lien
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on the property in this video you
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learned more about the cities of minimum
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housing code and available options thank
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you for watching and we look forward to
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working with you
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[Music]