(a) The City of Lincoln Park recognizes the need for an organized inspection and registration program for rental properties located with the City in order to ensure rental dwellings meet all applicable building, existing structures, fire, health, safety, and zoning codes, and to provide an efficient system for compelling both absentee and local landlords to correct violations and maintain, in proper condition, rental property within the City. The City recognizes that the most efficient system is the creation of a program requiring the registration and inspection of rental property within the City as defined in this Ordinance, so that orderly inspection schedules can be made by the City officials.
The purposes of this chapter are to protect the public health, safety and welfare by establishing minimum standards governing the state of repair and maintenance of rental dwellings, rental units and the premises on which they are located; to establish minimum standards governing utilities, facilities and other physical components and conditions essential to make and keep such premises fit for residential occupancy and use; to prevent blight and its detrimental effects from destroying the character and viability of the community; to fix certain responsibilities and duties upon owners and tenants; to authorize and establish procedures for registering, inspecting and requiring that such premises be maintained in a compliant manner; to establish service and administrative fees to be charged through the enforcement of this chapter; and to fix penalties for violations of this chapter.
(b) This chapter is declared to be essential for the public health, safety and welfare, and it is intended that this chapter be liberally construed to effectuate the purposes stated in this section.
(Emergency Manager Order No. 38. Ordered 8-11-15.)