GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
1991 SESSION
CHAPTER 208
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1. G.S. 160A-443(5a) reads as rewritten:
"(5a) If the governing body shall have adopted an ordinance
ordinance, or the public officer shall have issued an order, ordering
a dwelling to be repaired or vacated and closed, as provided in subdivision
(3)a., and if the owner has vacated and closed such dwelling and kept such
dwelling vacated and closed for a period of one year pursuant to the ordinance,
ordinance or order, then if the governing body shall find that the
owner has abandoned the intent and purpose to repair, alter or improve the
dwelling in order to render it fit for human habitation and that the
continuation of the dwelling in its vacated and closed status would be inimical
to the health, safety, morals and welfare of the municipality in that the
dwelling would continue to deteriorate, would create a fire and safety hazard,
would be a threat to children and vagrants, would attract persons intent on
criminal activities, would cause or contribute to blight and the deterioration
of property values in the area, and would render unavailable property and a
dwelling which might otherwise have been made available to ease the persistent
shortage of decent and affordable housing in this State, then in such
circumstances, the governing body may, after the expiration of such one year
period, enact an ordinance and serve such ordinance on the owner, setting forth
the following:
a. If it is determined that the repair of the dwelling to render it fit for human habitation can be made at a cost not exceeding fifty percent (50%) of the then current value of the dwelling, the ordinance shall require that the owner either repair or demolish and remove the dwelling within 90 days; or
b. If it is determined that the repair of the dwelling to render it fit for human habitation cannot be made at a cost not exceeding fifty percent (50%) of the then current value of the dwelling, the ordinance shall require the owner to demolish and remove the dwelling within 90 days.
This ordinance shall be recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds in the county wherein the property or properties are located and shall be indexed in the name of the property owner in the grantor index. If the owner fails to comply with this ordinance, the public officer shall effectuate the purpose of the ordinance.
This subdivision only applies to municipalities located in counties which have a population in excess of 163,000 by the last federal census."
Sec. 2. This act is effective upon ratification.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 4th day of June, 1991.
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James C. Gardner
President of the Senate
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Daniel Blue, Jr.
Speaker of the House of Representatives