(a) Certificate required. No owner, agent or person in charge of any dwelling structure used, designed or intended to house more than one bona fide family shall occupy, rent or lease such premises, or any part thereof, unless such owner or agent possesses and has posted a valid certificate of authorized occupancy issued by the Housing Inspector in the name of the owner and for that specifically identified dwelling structure.
(b) Application. An application for a certificate of authorized occupancy, required by the provisions of this Code, shall be made at the office of the Housing Inspector on forms supplied by such office. Upon receipt of such application, the Housing Inspector may require an affidavit as to the accuracy of the information submitted or he or she may cause a general inspection of the premises to be made in order to verify compliance with this Code.
(c) Contents of certificate. Upon satisfying himself or herself as to the satisfactory compliance with this Code, the Housing Inspector shall issue a certificate of authorized occupancy for such premises, containing the following information:
(1) The street address or other identification of the premises;
(2) The name and address of the owner, or agent, if the owner is not an occupant;
(3) The authorized use and maximum occupancy of the premises; and
(4) The date and period or life of the certificate.
(d) Posting of certificate. Excepting two and three-family dwellings, the owner, agent or person in charge of a dwelling structure requiring a certificate of authorized occupancy shall cause such certificate to be posted conspicuously at all times near the main entrance of such structure. Such certificate shall be provided with a transparent protective covering and shall be securely affixed to the building.
(e) Effective period of certificates for smaller dwellings; fees. A certificate of authorized occupancy for a dwelling that houses two or three families shall be valid until there is a change in ownership or until there is a change or alteration in the use or occupancy. The fee to accompany the application for such a certificate shall be one dollar ($1.00) for a two-family dwelling and two dollars ($2.00) for a three-family dwelling.
(f) Effective period of certificates for larger dwellings; fees. A certificate of authorized occupancy for a multiple dwelling, rooming house, dormitory, hotel, motel or tourist home shall be valid for not more than one year through the last day of February next, unless there is a change in ownership, use or occupancy before then. The fee to accompany the application for such a certificate shall be two dollars and fifty cents ($2.50) for each dwelling unit, hotel or motel room, or for each room available for letting in a rooming house, dormitory, tourist home or similar dwelling structure. For a new or remodeled building available for occupancy after August 31, the fee may be reduced 50%. The maximum yearly fee for any one building shall be one hundred dollars ($100.00) and the initial fee for a new dwelling structure to be occupied after August 31 shall not exceed fifty dollars ($50.00). A certificate of authorized occupancy shall be renewed for successive periods of not to exceed one year.
(g) Use of occupancy changes. No change shall be made in the nature or extent of use or occupancy of a dwelling structure without such change having been approved by the Housing Inspector, the Planning Commission and the Building Official.
(h) Changes in ownership. In the event there is a change in the ownership of any premise requiring a certificate of authorized occupancy, that certificate in the name of the former owner shall have been filed in the office of the Housing Inspector, as required by § 1494.02, containing the dated signature of the new owner. If the new owner makes application for a certificate of authorized occupancy within ten days of the recorded date of the change in ownership, the fee will be one dollar ($1.00) and the expiration date will be the same as the previous certificate which it replaces. If the application for the new certificate is not made within such ten-day period, the new owner becomes liable for noncompliance under this Code and the fee schedule shall be the same as for an original application, plus any other penalties that may apply.
(i) Certificate dependent on completion date of dwellings. When a dwelling structure that requires a certificate of authorized occupancy will be completed or remodeled and available for occupancy on or before March 1 of any year, the owner shall apply for such certificate as soon as practicable, but in no event shall occupancy be permitted in any part of the structure until the certificate of authorized occupancy has been issued. Failure of the owner or agent to so apply for a certificate will subject him or her to the legal action and penalty prescribed herein.
(j) Revocation of certificates. The Housing Inspector may revoke a certificate of authorized occupancy if any false statement has been made by the applicant in connection with the issuance of such certificate or for noncompliance of a structure with the requirements of this Code or if the owner or agent refuses to comply with any provision or requirement of this Code.
(Ord. 1674, passed 5-6-1969)