That letter that they provide trumps any building department or anyone else.

No appraisers in our area give a second thought to what the tax department reports cause they are always considered notoriously wrong as even when you do a permitted addition they never update the tax records to reflect it.

I’m not making any recommendations on what to do because you know the feel of where you’re at with the building department, but don’t shoot yourself in the foot and cost yourself a bunch of $.

I would go into your local planning department and ask them.

My loans all go through their commercial loan department. 

Contact your city building department and ask for the history of permits for the property.

Where can I obtain the information from, is there typically a housing department because I'm having trouble finding any answers online?

My dad is the director of the construction and plumbing department at a local college with 30+ years experience in the field so he has the tools and knowledge that he has passed onto me.

If they refuse, I'd contact your municipality's zoning/building department and put them on notice of this unsafe condition.  

And the City of Ashland was phenomenal to work with, led by building department head Megan McBride.