A. Where the apartment unit has not been vacated, the relocation fee shall be deposited in escrow if the tenant has furnished the landlord with the tenant's notarized stipulation to judgment in favor of the landlord for the repossession of the apartment unit by the landlord within sixty (60) days after the payment of the relocation fee to such tenant. The fee shall be released from escrow to the tenant on the day the tenant vacates the apartment unit. Nothing in this subsection shall be deemed to require any tenant to vacate any apartment unit before the expiration of the full notice time to which such tenant is entitled.
B. If the landlord in good faith is unable to determine who are the persons entitled to receive the relocation fee, the landlord shall deposit the relocation fee into escrow. The landlord shall give written notice of such deposit to each person, including the tenant and any occupant other than the tenant, who in the landlord's good faith judgment may be entitled to receive the relocation fee. Upon agreement by all persons so notified, the escrow holder may distribute the relocation fee in the manner agreed upon. If such parties cannot reach agreement within thirty (30) days after the date the notice of deposit is given, the division and distribution of the relocation fee shall be determined by the hearing officer following a hearing on the matter. No distribution from an escrow may occur until the tenant who is to receive the relocation fee has signed a notarized stipulation to judgment pursuant to subsection A of this section if the tenant still occupies the apartment unit.
C. All the costs of an escrow opened pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be borne by the landlord. (1962 Code § 11-6.04; amd. Ord. 04-O-2449, eff. 6-18-2004)