The General Assembly may establish procedures whereby any municipal corporation having a population of more than 400,000 according to the last or any future United States decennial census may carry out and enforce the removal or demolition or closing of buildings or structures, and clearing of premises, not of necessity a part of any slum or blighted area, at public expense, after an administrative determination that a building or structure is unfit for human habitation, or is unfit for commercial, industrial or business occupancy or use and is economically unrepairable, under standards for such determination as prescribed by the General Assembly, and which may provide for commencement of an administrative proceeding in rem provided the owner and person having an interest in the real property involved are given notice and an opportunity to appear and be heard on the question of unfitness or unrepairability of the building or structure at issue. All expenses of such removal or demolition, or closing and clearing of premises and all costs of any such proceeding may be included in the amount of the lien against the property on which the building or structure is located. All such proceedings and work shall constitute and are hereby declared to be a governmental function undertaken for public purposes, and the powers of taxation and eminent domain may be exercised and public funds expended in furtherance thereof.
Municode of Atlanta, GA, Part 1 Chapter 3 Section 3-1, 1974
