No person shall occupy as owner-occupant or let to another for occupancy any dwelling or dwelling unit, for the purpose of living therein, which does not comply with the following requirements:
(a) Every habitable room shall have at least one window or skylight facing directly to the outdoors. The minimum total window area, measured between stops, for every habitable room shall be five percent of the floor area of such room. Whenever walls or other portions of structures face a window of any such room and such light-obstruction structures are located less than three feet from the window and extend to a level above that of the ceiling of the room, such a window shall not be deemed to face directly to the outdoors and shall not be included as contributing to the required minimum total window area. Whenever the only window in a room is a skylight-type window in the top of such room, the total window area of such skylight shall equal at least fifteen percent of the total floor area of such room.
(b) Every habitable room shall have at least one window or skylight which can easily be opened, or such other device as will adequately ventilate the room. The total of openable window area in every habitable room shall be equal to at least thirty-five percent of the minimum window area size or minimum skylight-type window size, as required in subsection (a) hereof, except where there is supplied some other device affording adequate ventilation and approved by the Health Commissioner.
(c) Every bathroom and water closet compartment shall comply with the light and ventilation requirements for habitable rooms contained in subsections (a) and (b) hereof, except that no window or skylight shall be required in adequately ventilated bathrooms and water closet compartments equipped with a ventilation system which is kept in continuous operation and approved by the Commissioner.
(d) Where there is electric service available from power lines which are not more than 300 feet away from a dwelling, every habitable room of such dwelling shall contain at least two separate floor or wall type electric convenience outlets, or one such convenience outlet and one supplied ceiling-type electric light fixture; and every water closet compartment, bathroom, laundry room, furnace room and public hall shall contain at least one supplied ceiling-type electric light fixture. Every such outlet and fixture shall be properly installed, shall be maintained in good and safe working condition and shall be connected to the source of electric power in a safe manner.
(e) Every dwelling shall have heating facilities which are properly installed, are maintained in safe and good working condition and are capable of safely and adequately heating all habitable rooms, bathrooms and water closet compartments in every dwelling unit located therein to a temperature of at least seventy degrees Fahrenheit at a distance three feet above floor level, under ordinary minimum winter conditions.
(f) Every public hall and stairway in every multiple dwelling containing five or more dwelling units shall be adequately lighted at all times. Every public hall and stairway in structures devoted solely to dwelling occupancy and containing not more than four dwelling units may be supplied with conveniently located light switches, controlling an adequate lighting system which may be turned on when needed, instead of full-time lighting.
(g) During that portion of each year when the Health Commissioner deems it necessary for protection against mosquitoes, flies and other insects, every door opening directly from a dwelling unit to outdoor space shall have supplied by the owner screens and a self-closing device. Every window or other device with openings to outdoor space, used or intended to be used for ventilation, shall likewise be supplied with screens. However, such screens shall not be required during such period in rooms deemed by the Commissioner to be located high enough in the upper stories of buildings as to be free from such insects, and in rooms located in areas of the City which are deemed by the Commissioner to have so few such insects as to render screens unnecessary.
(h) Every basement or cellar window used or intended to be used for ventilation, and every other opening to a basement which might provide an entry for rodents, shall be supplied with a screen or other such device as will effectively prevent their entrance.
(Ord. 1372. Passed 4-20-61.)