36-99.01 - Provisions related to rehabilitation of existing buildings.
§ 36-99.01. Provisions related to rehabilitation of existing buildings.
A. The General Assembly hereby declares that (i) there is an urgent need toimprove the housing conditions of low and moderate income individuals andfamilies, many of whom live in substandard housing, particularly in the oldercities of the Commonwealth; (ii) there are large numbers of older residentialbuildings in the Commonwealth, both occupied and vacant, which are in urgentneed of rehabilitation and which must be rehabilitated if the State'scitizens are to be housed in decent, sound, and sanitary conditions; and(iii) the application of those building code requirements currently in forceto housing rehabilitation has sometimes led to the imposition of costly andtime-consuming requirements that result in a significant reduction in theamount of rehabilitation activity taking place.
B. The General Assembly further declares that (i) there is an urgent need toimprove the existing condition of many of the Commonwealth's stock ofcommercial properties, particularly in older cities; (ii) there are largenumbers of older commercial buildings in the Commonwealth, both occupied andvacant, that are in urgent need of rehabilitation and that must berehabilitated if the citizens of the Commonwealth are to be provided withdecent, sound and sanitary work spaces; and (iii) the application of theexisting building code to such rehabilitation has sometimes led to theimposition of costly and time-consuming requirements that result in asignificant reduction in the amount of rehabilitation activity taking place.
C. The Board is hereby directed and empowered to make such changes as arenecessary to fulfill the intent of the General Assembly as expressed insubsections A and B, including, but not limited to amendments to the BuildingCode and adequate training of building officials, enforcement personnel,contractors, and design professionals throughout the Commonwealth.
(2000, c. 35; 2002, c. 555.)