Section 17-159. Infected and uninhabitable houses; vacation orders

Whenever
  it shall be certified to the department by an officer  or  inspector  of
  the  department  that  any  building  or any part thereof in the city is
  infected with communicable disease, or by reason of want of  repair  has
  become  dangerous  to  life  or is unfit for human habitation because of
  defects in drainage, plumbing, ventilation, or the construction  of  the
  same, or because of the existence of a nuisance on the premises which is
  likely  to  cause sickness among its occupants, the department may issue
  an order requiring all persons therein to vacate such building  or  part
  thereof for the reasons to be stated therein. The department shall cause
  such  order to be affixed conspicuously in such building or part thereof
  and to be personally served on the owner, lessee,  agent,  occupant,  or
  any  person  having  the charge or care thereof. If the owner, lessee or
  agent can not be found in the city or does not reside therein, or evades
  or resists service, then such order may be served by depositing  a  copy
  thereof  in the post-office in the city, properly enclosed and addressed
  to such owner, lessee or agent, at  his  or  her  last  known  place  of
  business and residence, and prepaying the postage thereon; such building
  or  part  thereof  within  ten  days after such order shall have been so
  posted  and  mailed,  or  within  such  shorter  time,  not  less   than
  twenty-four  hours, as in such order may be specified, shall be vacated,
  but the department whenever it shall become satisfied  that  the  danger
  from  such  building  or  part thereof has ceased to exist, or that such
  building has been repaired so as to be habitable, may revoke such order.