North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 160A. Cities and Towns § 160A-444. Standards

An ordinance adopted by a city under this Part shall provide that the public officer may determine that a dwelling is unfit for human habitation if he finds that conditions exist in the dwelling that render it dangerous or injurious to the health, safety or morals of the occupants of the dwelling, the occupants of neighboring dwellings, or other residents of the city.  Defective conditions may include the following (without limiting the generality of the foregoing):  defects therein increasing the hazards of fire, accident, or other calamities;  lack of adequate ventilation, light, or sanitary facilities;  dilapidation;  disrepair;  structural defects;  uncleanliness.  The ordinances may provide additional standards to guide the public officers, or his agents, in determining the fitness of a dwelling for human habitation.