The City of Albemarle requirements serves to protect the health, safety and welfare of Albemarle’s residents and visitors, and maintain property values by establishing certain standards of fitness for buildings used for human habitation. Keeping Albemarle’s neighborhoods safe, healthy, and attractive is an important part of maintaining our hometown’s integrity. The City of Albemarle joins with many other towns and cities in our area in regulating housing and commercial property to assure the protection of the health, safety and welfare of the residents of our city.

What defines Housing and Commercial Property violations?

The City of Albemarle requires dwelling units and commercial properties to meet the following minimum requirements to be considered safe and habitable. These requirements include, but are not limited to:

• Property meets fire, health and safety code standards.
• Safe foundation, stairs, walls, roofs and porches.
• Hot and cold running water available.
• Usable sinks in the kitchen, bath and laundry areas.
• Functional toilets, bathtubs and showers.
• Adequate and safe electrical wiring.
• Properly installed windows and doors.
• Functional heating and cooling systems.
• Controlled rodent and pest population.
• Occupancy which meets required standards.
• Maintained grounds and accessory buildings.

What happens after I file a complaint?

Code Enforcement will conduct an inspection, in a timely manner, of the dwelling or property to determine if any violations exist on the property. If there appears to be an ordinance violation, the officer will determine the action necessary to comply with the ordinance, which may include the following:

• A “Request to Inspect” letter will be sent to the property owner.
• If the complaint is substantiated and violations exist, a “Notice of Hearing” letter with a set hearing date will be scheduled at City Hall with the property owner.
• An Order will be issued after the hearing has taken place, giving the owner a determined length of time in which to bring the dwelling or property into compliance.
• If this time elapses without compliance of all issues established at the hearing, a Civil Citation will be issued.
• Penalties will continue to accumulate until the dwelling or property has been brought into complete compliance with the code of ordinances.
• If the property owner still does not comply with the order, the City of Albemarle will abate the issue(s) and place a lien on the property for the cost to the city, and/or send the cost of abatement to a collection agency.

Contact

Greg Morris, Chief Code Enforcement Officer
(704) 984-9431
Email