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3 <br /> 1. It appears to the Public Officer that a dwelling does not meet code; <br /> or <br /> 2. When a petition or complaint is filed by: <br /> *a public authority/agency <br /> *at least five (5) residents of the County for any rental unit <br /> * any occupant of a dwelling unit which is renter-occupied provided <br /> that he/she identifies himself. <br /> Typically, once a complaint is received the enforcement process would proceed <br /> as follows: <br /> 1. Inspection <br /> 2. Notice to Property Owner/Tenant if violations exists; provide a <br /> hearing <br /> 3. After hearing - County representative states determination; <br /> deteriorated vs. dilapidated; action required in not less than 90 <br /> days. <br /> Since the inception of the Minimum Housing Code Ordinance, <br /> approximately fifty-three (53) complaints have been received and investigated. <br /> Most complaints have been resolved by either the owner repairing the property <br /> or the tenant relocating to other standard rental housing. <br /> Other Developments <br /> On February 24, 1992, a public hearing was held to receive citizen <br /> comments on proposed ordinance modifications to the Minimum Housing Code <br /> Ordinance which clarify its administration, enforcement and interpretation by <br /> staff and the public. <br /> Since its adoption, the ordinance provisions have been administered and <br /> enforced by the Housing and Community Development Department. It was <br /> proposed that this responsibility be transferred to the Planning and Inspections <br /> Department since G.S. 153A-351.1 requries that inspections be conducted by <br /> certified code enforcement officers. It was also proposed that the provisions of <br /> the ordinance be expanded to include all dwellings within the County, not just <br /> rental units. Other revisions simplified interpretation and were made to comply <br /> with N.C. State Building Codes and Regulations. <br /> Although no citizen comments on the proposed ordinance amendments at <br /> the public hearing, some Commissioners and/or Planning Board members <br /> expressed concern about: <br /> 1. The cost to individual property owners of bringing dwellings into <br /> compliance; and <br />