(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly make a false complaint against the owner of any structure or relating to any structure subject to the inspection provisions of this article.

    (b) A false complaint shall be presumed to be knowingly made where such complaint is the third or more complaint made with respect to any structure or any owner by such person, in any twelve-month period, where inspections pursuant to such complaints fail to reveal any violation of the provisions of city ordinance upon inspection by housing inspectors of the city. This presumption shall be rebuttable.

    (c) Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction therefor, shall be fined an amount of not less than twenty dollars ($20.00) nor more than one hundred dollars ($100.00), or by imprisonment in the city jail for not exceeding three (3) months, or by both such fine and imprisonment. Each false complaint shall constitute a separate offense.

    (d) In addition to the criminal remedies herein provided for, the city counselor is hereby authorized to pursue any person who knowingly makes a false complaint, who shall be liable for the city's actual costs of inspection resulting from such complaint.

(Code 1964, § 11.1210)