Section 27-2002. Legislative declaration

It  is  hereby  found  that the
  enforcement of minimum standards of health and safety, fire  protection,
  light   and   ventilation,  cleanliness,  repair  and  maintenance,  and
  occupancy in dwellings is necessary to protect the people  of  the  city
  against  the  consequences  of  urban  blight.  The sound enforcement of
  minimum housing standards is essential:
    1. to preserve decent housing;
    2. to prevent adequate or salvageable housing  from  deteriorating  to
  the point where it can no longer be reclaimed; and
    3.  to  bring  about  the  basic  decencies  and  minimal standards of
  healthful living in already deteriorated dwellings, which,  although  no
  longer  salvageable,  must  serve  as  habitations  until  they  can  be
  replaced.
    In order to accomplish these  purposes,  and  following  a  review  of
  existing  housing  standards  in  the  light  of  present  needs,  and a
  reexamination of methods of administration,  including  legal  sanctions
  and  remedies,  to assure the effectiveness of enforcement, it is hereby
  found that the enactment of a comprehensive code of standards for decent
  housing  maintenance,  imposing  duties  and  responsibilities  for  the
  preservation  of  the  dwellings in the city upon owners and tenants, as
  well as on the municipality itself, enforceable  by  a  broad  range  of
  legal,  equitable  and  administrative  powers,  is  appropriate for the
  protection of the health, safety and welfare of the people of the city.