Athens City Code

1. (1) When at least five residents of the city charge that any dwelling is unfit for human habitation, or whenever the inspector determines that there has been a violation, or that there are reasonable grounds to believe that there has been a violation of any provision of this chapter or of any rule or regulation adopted pursuant hereto, he shall give notice to the person responsible therefor. Such notice shall:
   1. (a) Be in writing.
   2. (b) Include such description of the real estate as is sufficient for identification.
   3. (c) Include a statement of the reason why the notice is being issued.
   4. (d) Inform the violator of his right to petition for a hearing before the board of housing appeals and specify that this petition must be received within 20 days after the notice was served.
   5. (e) Be served upon the owner, or the occupant, as the case may require, provided that such notice shall be deemed to be properly served upon such violator if a copy thereof is delivered to him personally or by registered mail, but if the whereabouts of such person is unknown and the same cannot be ascertained by the inspector in the exercise of reasonable diligence, and the inspector shall make an affidavit to that effect, then the serving of such notice or order may be made by publishing the same once each week for two consecutive weeks in a newspaper printed and published in the city, or, in the absence of such newspaper, in one printed and published in the county and circulating in the municipality in which the dwelling is located. A copy of such complaint or order shall be posted in a conspicuous place on the premises affected by the notice or order. A copy of such notice or order shall also be filed for record in the register's office of the county in which the dwelling is located, and the filing of such notice or order shall have the same force and effect as other lis pendens notices provided by law.
2. (2) Such notice may include an outline of remedial action which, if taken, will effect compliance with the provisions of this chapter and with rules and regulations adopted pursuant hereto.

(Code 1972, § 4-518; Code 1995, § 12-518)