East Haven, Conn., Code of Ordinances app. A § XV

15.01 Repairs and Other Corrective Action 15.01.01 Whenever an owner, operator, or agent of a dwelling, dwelling unit, or rooming unit fails, neglects, or refuses to make repairs or other corrective action called for by a second order or notice of violation issued pursuant to Subsection 12.03 of this ordinance, the Housing Code Enforcement Committee may undertake such repairs or action, when in its judgment a failure to make them will endanger the public health, safety or welfare, and the cost of such repairs and action will not exceed fifty (50) percent of the fair market value of the structure to be repaired.
15.01.02 Notice of the intention to make such repairs or take other corrective action shall be served upon the owner, operator or agent pursuant to Section XII of this ordinance.
15.01.03 Every owner, operator, or agent of a dwelling, dwelling unit, or rooming unit who has received notice of the intention of the Housing Code Enforcement Committee to make repairs or take other corrective action shall give entry and free access to the agent of the Committee for the purpose of making such repairs. Any owner, operator, or agent of a dwelling, dwelling unit, or rooming unit, who refuses, impedes, interferes with, hinders, or obstructs entry by such agent pursuant to a notice of intention to make repairs or take other corrective action shall be subject to a civil penalty of ten dollars ($10) for each such failure to comply with this Section, with each day that the condition(s) continue to exist for which corrective action is deemed appropriate being regarded as one failure.
15.01.04 When repairs are made or other corrective action taken at the direction of the Committee cost of such repairs and corrective action shall constitute a debt in favor of the Town of East Haven against the owner of the repaired structure. In the event such owner fails, neglects or refuses to pay the Town of East Haven the amount of this debt, it shall be recoverable in a civil action against the owner or his successor, brought in a court of competent jurisdiction by the Town of East Haven which shall possess all rights of a private creditor.
15.02 Designation of Unfit Dwellings, Dwelling Units and Rooming Units 15.02.01 Any dwelling or dwelling unit which shall be found to have any of the following defects shall be condemned as unfit for human habitation and shall be so designated and placarded by the Housing Code Enforcement Officer:
(a) One which is so damaged, decayed, dilapidated, insanitary, unsafe, or vermin-infested that it creates a serious hazard to the health or safety of the occupants or of the public, or
(b) One which lacks illumination, ventilation, or sanitation facilities adequate to protect the health or safety of the occupants or of the public, or
(c) One which because of its general condition or location is insanitary, or otherwise dangerous, to the health or safety of the occupants or of the public.
15.02.02 Any unit condemned as unfit for human habitation and so designated and placarded by the Housing Code Enforcement Officer shall be vacated within thirty (30) days.
15.02.03 No dwelling, dwelling unit or rooming unit which has been designated as unfit for human habitation and which has been placarded as such and has been vacated shall be used again for human habitation until written approval is secured from the Housing Code Enforcement Officer and the placard removed by the Enforcement Officer.
15.02.04 No person shall willfully deface or remove the placard from any dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming unit or rooming house which has been designated as unfit for human habitation and placarded as such. Whoever violates this provision shall, upon conviction, be subject to a fine of not less than twenty-five dollars ($25), nor more than two hundred dollars ($200).
15.02.05 Any person aggrieved by any order involving the placarding of a dwelling, dwelling unit or rooming unit may request and be granted a hearing under the conditions specified in Section XIII above.
15.02.06 The Housing Code Enforcement Officer shall rescind the designation as unfit for human habitation and remove the placard when the defect, condition or practice upon which such designation and such placarding was based has been removed or eliminated as to cause the dwelling, dwelling unit, or rooming unit to be deemed by the Enforcement Officer as safe, sanitary, and fit for human habitation.
15.03 Demolition of Dwelling, Dwelling Units, or Rooming Units Designated as Unfit for Human Habitation 15.03.01 The Housing Code Enforcement Officer or his duly authorized representative shall make a recommendation to the Building Official that a dwelling, dwelling unit, or rooming unit be demolished if it has been designated as unfit for human habitation, has been placarded as such, has been vacated, has not been put into proper repair so as to rescind the designation as unfit for human habitation and to cause the placard to be removed, and is determined by the Enforcement Officer not to warrant repair under Subsection 15.01.01 of this ordinance.
15.03.02 The owner of any dwelling, dwelling unit, or rooming unit which has been ordered demolished, shall be given notice of this order in the manner provided for service of notice in Section XII of this ordinance and shall be given a reasonable time, not to exceed ninety (90) days, to demolish such structure.
15.03.03 Any owner aggrieved by the notice to demolish may seek a reconsideration of the matter in the manner herein above provided, and may seek a formal hearing in the manner provided in Section XIII of this ordinance.
15.03.04 When the owner fails, neglects or refuses to demolish an unfit, unsafe, or insanitary dwelling, dwelling unit, or rooming unit within the requisite time, the Building Official may apply to a court of competent jurisdiction for a demolition order to undertake the demolition. The court may grant such order when no reconsideration or hearing on the matter is pending. The cost of such demolition shall create a debt in favor of the Town of East Haven against such owner, and shall be recoverable in a civil action brought by the Town of East Haven which shall possess all the rights of a private creditor.
15.03.05 Whenever a dwelling is demolished, whether carried out by the owner or by the Building Official as directed by the Code Enforcement Committee, such demolition shall include the filling and excavation of the property on which the demolished dwelling was located, in such manner as to eliminate all potential danger to the public health, safety, or welfare arising from such demolition.
15.03.06 All demolition shall be preceded by an inspection of the premises by the local or State health authority to determine whether or not extermination procedures are necessary. If the premises are found to be infested, appropriate rat extermination to prevent the spread of rats to adjoining or other areas shall be instituted before, during, and after demolition.