(A) No owner, agent, or person in charge of a dwelling or dwelling unit shall allow any person to occupy the same as a tenant or lessee or for a valuable consideration unless said dwelling or dwelling unit has been inspected as of the first change in occupancy after the effective date of the ordinance codified herein and thereafter as of the first occupancy after a change in ownership of every or every 24 months, whichever occurs first and determined to be in compliance with all of the applicable provisions of §§ 152.01 through 152.14, 152.17, and 152.99, as amended from time to time, and the applicable provisions of Chapter 154 of this code, as amended from time to time (hereinafter referred to in this section as “minimum housing standards”) as evidenced by a certificate of compliance issued by the Housing Inspector as provided in this section.
(B) Upon request of the owner, agent, or other person authorized to rent a dwelling or dwelling unit (hereinafter referred to in this section as the “applicant”) and payment of the inspection fee, the Housing Inspector will be available at an appointed time within 48 hours agreed upon by himself or herself and the applicant, or later, if the applicant requests, to inspect such dwelling or dwelling unit. If such inspection establishes that the dwelling or dwelling unit complies with all of the minimum housing standards, he or she shall issue a certificate of compliance for said dwelling or dwelling unit, indicating the maximum number of occupants who may lawfully occupy it under the provisions in compliance with the minimum housing standards. One copy of the certificate shall be handed to or mailed to the applicant and a second copy for the information of the tenant or lessee shall be posted by the Housing Inspector on the inside of the main entrance door of the certified premises or in a conspicuous place nearby and shall not be removed by, or at the direction of, anyone other than the tenant.
(C) If said dwelling or dwelling unit does not comply with the minimum housing standards, the Housing Inspector shall furnish the applicant with a written list of the specific violations of this code which would have to be corrected before a certificate of compliance or a list of violations, as above provided.
(D) No applicant, tenant, or occupant shall permit the occupancy of any dwelling or dwelling unit by a greater number of persons than that specified in the certificate of compliance.
(E) Any applicant who is delayed in correcting violations necessary to entitle him or her to a certificate of compliance and who has a valid contract in writing with a qualified person for the performance of work and the furnishing of the materials to correct such violation, may petition the Health Officer in writing for a temporary waiver of compliance. No fees shall be required. The petition shall be on a form provided by the Housing Appeals Officer and shall contain the information therein requested and reasonably necessary to his or her decision, and shall include a written and signed statement by the person under contract to correct the violation, specifying the anticipated date of beginning and completion of the work. If, after the hearing, the Housing Appeals Officer finds that the delay in the correction of the violation is reasonable, taking into consideration the availability of qualified persons to do the work and the current work load, and the work can reasonably be undertaken and completed while the premises are occupied or that appropriate provision has been made for housing the tenant elsewhere during the necessary period when the dwelling or dwelling unit will not be habitable because of the work of correcting the code violation, the Health Officer shall issue a temporary waiver of compliance expiring on the date when the corrective work should be completed. Applicant shall, on or before said date, request a re-inspection and pay the re-inspection fee. The Housing Inspector shall re-inspect the dwelling or dwelling unit and issue the certificate of compliance or list any remaining violations, as above provided.
(F) Any applicant who deems himself or herself aggrieved by the decision of the Health Officer may, by written request to the Housing Appeal Board and without the payment of a fee, have the entire matter heard by it on his or her original petition. After hearing the applicant, his or her witnesses, his or her counsel (if any), the Health Officer or his or her designate and any witnesses he or she may produce, and his or her counsel (if any), the Housing Appeal Board shall, if it finds the existence of all the required prerequisites to the granting of a temporary waiver of compliance by the Health Officer, direct him or her to issue such a waiver.
(G) The fees for inspections under this section shall be determined by resolution of the City Council.
(H) The inspections provided for in this section shall not be mandatory until January 1, 1975.
(I) The Housing Inspector shall maintain a registry of rental property owners and premises.
(J) The owners of rental dwellings and dwelling units shall register their names and places of residence or usual places of business and the location of the premises regulated by this section with the Housing Inspector or his or her designate. The registrations provided for in this division (J) shall be made prior to January 1, 1975.
(K) If the premises are managed or operated by an agent, the agent’s name and place of business shall be placed with the name of the owner in the registry.
(2011 Code, § 15.08.150) (Ord. 67, passed - -1974) Penalty, see § 152.99