A. 
Authorization. The employees of the City of Altoona Department of Codes and Inspections, the City Police Department and the City Fire Department are authorized to administer and enforce the provisions of this article.
B. 
Prosecution of violation. Any person failing to comply with any requirement of this chapter, including but not limited to a notice of violation or order served pursuant to the procedure set forth in Chapter 550 of the Code entitled "Property Maintenance," shall be deemed guilty of a summary offense. If the notice of violation is not complied with, the City shall institute the appropriate proceeding at law or in equity to restrain, correct or abate such violation or to require the removal or termination of the unlawful occupancy of the structure in violation or the provisions of this Code or of the order or direction made pursuant thereto. Any action taken by the authority having jurisdiction on such premises shall be charged against the real estate upon which the structure and/or violation is located and shall be a lien upon such real estate.
C. 
Violation/penalties. Any person who shall violate a provision of this chapter, or fail to comply therewith or with any of the requirements thereof, shall, upon conviction thereof in a summary proceeding before a Magisterial District Judge, be sentenced to pay not less than $300 nor more than $1,000 together with the costs of prosecution and any fee or fees or be imprisoned for a period not to exceed 90 days, or both. Each day that a violation continues shall be deemed a separate offense.
A. 
Report. Whenever it is reported or comes to the attention of any person, citizen, City official, police officer or fire inspector that any building or structure completed or on the process of construction or any portion thereof is in a neglected condition as defined by this chapter, such person shall report the same to the Department.
B. 
Investigation. Upon notification of a report, the Director shall order an investigation of the building, structure, and/or premises by an inspector, investigator and/or any other qualified person(s). The person conducting the investigation shall make a complete report of the condition and provide the Director with a recommendation.
C. 
Administrative warrant. If the property owner of a building or structure fails to grant reasonable access to the City, the City Solicitor shall be duly authorized to seek an administrative warrant to grant access to the property for the purpose of conducting an investigation.
The Director shall review the report and any other relevant evidence and make a formal finding if the building or structure is neglected as defined by this chapter. Regardless of that finding, the Director shall be authorized to take action to correct any and all deficiencies related to the conditions of the building, structure, or premises related the City of Altoona Code as addressed in Chapter 550 of the City of Altoona Code.
A. 
Posting. If the Director determines a building or structure is neglected, such building or structure shall be clearly posted with signage declaring same. The signage shall contain contact information for the Department.
B. 
Notice and order. Concurrently with posting the property, the Department shall give notice to the property owner of the determination of a neglected condition. Notice shall be served by any of the following methods, unless different provisions are otherwise specifically stated to apply:
(1) 
Personal service upon the responsible party.
(2) 
Certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested. Simultaneously, a duplicate notice may be sent by regular mail, postage prepaid. If a notice that is sent by certified mail is returned unsigned, service shall be deemed effective pursuant to service of the duplicate notice by regular mail; provided that the duplicate notice sent by regular mail is not returned as undeliverable. Notice shall be mailed to the last address shown on the tax assessment record of the property, and to the last known address of any other party shown in official records of the City of Altoona.
(3) 
Posting the notice conspicuously on or in front of the property.
(4) 
Posting a notice or duplicate service by regular mail in the manner described above shall be deemed effective on the third day after mailing or posting; service by certified mail shall be effective as of the date of signed receipt;
(5) 
The service of an initial notice of violation may also be sent by regular mail. Service of a notice of violation by regular mail is effective on the third day after mailing.
C. 
The failure of any party or person with an interest in the property or the proceeding to receive any notice which has been duly sent or posted in accordance with this section shall not affect the validity of any proceedings taken under this chapter.
D. 
The notice and order shall comply with the provisions found in Chapter 550, § 550-107 of this Code.
A. 
City Solicitor. As authorized by the Neighborhood Blight Reclamation and Revitalization Act, 53 Pa.C.S.A. § 6101 et seq. (Act of Oct 27, 2010, P.L. 875, No. 90), and as may be amended from time to time, and in conformance with the limits established therein, the City Solicitor shall have the authority to:
(1) 
In personam action. In such instance that the owner(s) of a derelict property has/have not made a substantial step to correct continuing violations of the City Code within six months of receipt of an order to correct such violations, initiate an in personam action against the property owner(s) to compel the owner(s) to correct such violations, unless such corrective order is subject to a pending appeal.
(2) 
Cost recovery. In a single action, recover an amount equal to any penalties imposed against the property owner and any costs of remediation lawfully incurred by or on behalf of the City to remedy any Code violation. This shall include but not be limited to the City's legal expenses related directly to the matter.
(3) 
Asset attachment. In such an instance that the owner(s) of a derelict property have serious, unresolved violations of the City Code, place a lien against the assets of the owner(s) of such property after judgment, decree or order is entered by a court of competent jurisdiction.
B. 
Permit denial. In conformance with the limits established by state law, the Department shall have the authority to deny any and all municipal permits to the owner(s) of a derelict property within the City except to issue such permits as necessary to remediate all violations on said property.
A. 
Appeal. Within not more than 10 days following notice, the property owner may appeal the Director's determination. If such appeal is timely received, the Director shall notify the City Solicitor and schedule a hearing before the Code Appeals Board. An application for appeal shall be based on a claim that the true intent of this article or the rules adopted thereunder have been incorrectly interpreted, the provisions of this chapter to not fully apply, or the requirements of the chapter are adequately satisfied by other means.
B. 
Hearing. Within not less than 15 days nor more than 60 days from the date of filing an appeal, the Director shall convene the Board. The Board shall hold a hearing and hear such testimony as the owner, occupant, mortgagee, lessee, or other person having an interest in said building shall offer related to the unsafe building. The Board also shall hear testimony from the Department, any experts employed by the City, and other interested persons. Adjoining property owners shall have standing to testify.
C. 
The Board shall have the authority to uphold the Director's finding, overturn the Director's finding, or remand the matter to the Director for further consideration. Any party with standing and aggrieved by the decision of the Board of Appeals shall have the right to seek judicial review by a court of competent jurisdiction within 60 days of publication of the Board of Appeals' decision.