Source: https://development.code.dccouncil.us/dc/council/code/titles/42/chapters/31A/
Timestamp: 2019-04-23 04:19:47+00:00

Document:
D.C. Law Library - Chapter 31A. Abatement of Nuisance Property.
(a) For the purpose of carrying into effect § 42-3131.01, the Mayor of the District of Columbia and all other persons, including contractors and employees of contractors acting under his authority or by his direction, are authorized to enter upon and into any lands and tenements in said District, during all reasonable hours, to inspect the same and to do whatever may be necessary to correct, in a good and workmanlike manner, any condition that exists on or has arisen from such lands or tenements in violation of law or of any regulation made by authority of law, with the correction of which condition the owner of said lands or tenements is by law or such regulation chargeable. Any person who shall hinder, interfere with, or prevent any inspection or work authorized by this subchapter shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine not exceeding $100 or by imprisonment for a period not exceeding 3 months, or by both such fine and imprisonment, in the discretion of the court.
(b)(1) The Mayor may apply to a judge of the District of Columbia for an administrative search warrant to enter any premises to conduct any inspection required or authorized by law to determine compliance with the provisions of this chapter.
(2) The application for an administrative search warrant shall be in writing and sworn to by the applicant and shall particularly describe the place, structure, or premises to be inspected and the nature, scope, and purpose of the inspection to be performed by the applicant.
(3) Before filing an application for an administrative search warrant with a court, the Mayor shall obtain approval by the Office of the Attorney General as to its legality in both form and substance under the standards and criteria of this section and a statement to this effect shall be included as part of the application.
(ii) The proposed inspection comes within the program.
(5) An administrative search warrant issued under this section shall specify the place, structure, premise, vehicle, or records to be inspected. The inspection conducted shall not exceed the limits specified in the warrant.
(6) An administrative search warrant issued under this section authorizes the applicant and other officials or employees of the District to enter specified property to perform the inspection, sampling, and other functions authorized by law to determine compliance with the provisions of this chapter.
(B) If no time period is specified in the warrant, 15 days from the date of its issuance.
This section is referenced in § 6-711.02.
D.C. Law 16-81 designated the existing text of the section as subsec. (a); and added subsec. (b).
§ 42–3131.03. Notice requiring correction of unlawful conditions; service.
(5) If by reason of an outstanding, unrecorded transfer of title the name of the owner in fact cannot be ascertained beyond a reasonable doubt, if served on the owner of record in the manner hereinbefore in this section provided. Any notice required by law or by any regulation aforesaid to be served on a corporation shall for the purposes of this subchapter be deemed to have been served on any such corporation if served on the president, secretary, treasurer, general manager, or any principal officer of such corporation in the manner hereinbefore provided for the service of notices on natural persons holding property in their own right; and, if required to be served on any foreign corporation, if served on any agent of such corporation personally, or if left with any person of suitable age and discretion residing at the usual residence or employed at the place of business of such agent in the District of Columbia. Every notice aforesaid shall be in writing or printing, or partly in writing and partly in printing; shall be addressed by name to the person to be notified; shall describe with certainty the character and location of the unlawful condition to be corrected; and shall allow a reasonable time to be specified in said notice, within which the person notified may correct such unlawful condition or show cause why he should not be required to do so.
This section is referenced in § 6-711.03 and § 42-3131.01.
D.C. Law 17-319 rewrote pars. (3) and (4).
D.C. Law 18- 223, in par. (1), substituted “if sent by electronic mail to the last-known electronic mail address of the person to be notified, or if left,” for “or if left”.
Documentary evidence, prima facie evidence of delivery, certified mail return receipts, see § 14-506.
For temporary (90 day) amendment, see § 2(b) of Abatement of Nuisance Properties and Tenant Receivership Emergency Amendment Act of 2008 (D.C. Act 17-420, July 8, 2008, 55 DCR 7703).
For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 2(b) of Abatement of Nuisance Properties and Tenant Receivership Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2008 (D.C. Act 17-563, October 27, 2008, 55 DCR 12019).
For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 2053 of Fiscal Year 2011 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2010 (D.C. Act 18-463, July 2, 2010, 57 DCR 6542).
For temporary (225 day) amendment of section, see § 2(b) of Abatement of Nuisance Properties and Tenant Receivership Temporary amendment Act of 2008 (D.C. Law 17-237, October 21, 2008, law notification 55 DCR 11700).

References: § 42
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§ 42
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 § 42
 § 14
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 § 2053
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