By the Laws of 1970, chapter 338, the Public Health Law was amended by adding section 1370 to 1376 to meet the problem of lead poisoning. The Legislature findings upon which this enactment was made read in part as follows: “ Many thousands of children in the cities of our state are actual or potential victims of lead poisoning. The disease of lead poisoning is most prevalent in areas of old and deteriorating housing where leaded paint and plaster in a peeling condition is accessible for ingestion by young children. ’ ’
Other legislative enactments that deal with the responsibility of owners of single dwellings are contained in the ordinances adopted by the City of Rochester. The Building Code (§ 38.14). Nuisances. 1 ‘ All unusable habitations are hereby declared to be nuisances and shall be vacated, repaired or demolished to the end that such nuisances shall be abated. All persons now or hereafter living in an unusable habitation shall vacate the same and the owner shall repair the same or demolish it.”
Building Code (§ 38.15). Responsibility for occupation. “ It shall be unlawful for any person controlling, renting or managing either as owner, agent or otherwise, any unusable habitation in the City of Rochester, to permit the same or any part thereof to be used or occupied as a place of human habitation. It shall be unlawful for any person to occupy as a place of human habitation any unusable habitation.”