The intent and purpose of this article is to protect the public health, safety, morals
and welfare of all the people of Miami-Dade County, Florida, by establishing minimum
standards governing the condition, occupancy, and maintenance of dwellings, dwelling
units, rooming houses, rooming units and premises which are let; establishing minimum
standards governing utilities, facilities, and other physical components and conditions
essential to make dwellings, dwelling units, rooming houses, rooming units, and premises
safe, sanitary, and fit for human habitation; fixing certain responsibilities and
duties of owners, operators, agents, and occupants of dwellings, and dwelling units,
rooming houses, and rooming units; authorizing and establishing procedures for the
inspection of dwellings, dwelling units, rooming houses, and rooming units, and the
condemnation and vacation of those dwellings, dwelling units, rooming houses, and
rooming units unfit for human habitation; and fixing penalties for the violations
of the provisions of this article, and to set forth a procedure for the granting of
variances to the enforcement of the provisions of this chapter in cases of extreme
hardship, where the health, safety, welfare and morals of the occupants of a given
unit, or the public at large, will not be detrimentally affected, and where literal
enforcement of the code would offer no meaningful advantage to the occupants of a
unit or to the public at large. The article is hereby declared to be remedial and
essential to the public interest, and it is intended that this article be liberally
construed to effectuate the purposes as stated above.
