1371.08 ROOMING HOUSES.
No person shall operate a rooming house or shall occupy or let to another for occupancy any rooming unit in any rooming house, except in compliance with the applicable provisions of every section of this chapter.
(a) No person shall operate a rooming house unless he holds a valid rooming house permit issued by the Bureau of Buildings, Inspections, Licenses and Permits in the name of the operator for the specific rooming house. This permit shall be displayed in a conspicuous place within the rooming house at all times. Every rooming house permit shall expire at the end of one year following its date of issuance.
(b) The operator shall apply to the Bureau for such permit, which shall be issued by the Bureau upon compliance by the operator with the applicable provisions of this chapter.
(c) A rooming house permit is not transferable. When a person who holds a rooming house permit transfers his interest in or control of a rooming house he shall notify the Bureau in writing within twenty-four hours. Such notice shall include the name and address of the person succeeding to the ownership or control of the rooming house.
(d) When the Bureau denies an application for a rooming house permit, he shall notify the applicant in writing. A notice of denial shall include the date of denial, the time within which a request for hearing may be made, and a brief statement of the facts upon which the denial was based.
(e) Any person whose application for a permit to operate a rooming house has been denied may request and shall be granted a hearing before the Board of Housing Appeals under the procedure provided by Section 1371.06.
(f) Whenever upon inspection of any rooming house the Bureau finds that conditions or practices exist which are in violation of any provision of these regulations, the Bureau shall give notice in writing to the operator of such rooming house that unless such conditions or practices are corrected within a reasonable period to be determined by the Superintendent, the operator's rooming house permit will be suspended. At the end of such period the Superintendent shall inspect such rooming house, and if he finds that such conditions or practices have not been corrected, he shall give notice in writing that the latter's permit has been suspended.
(g) Any person whose permit to operate a rooming house has been suspended, or who has received a written notice that his permit is to be suspended unless an existing violation is corrected, may request and shall be granted a hearing before the Board under the procedure provided by Section 1371.06. Provided that if no petition for such a hearing is filed within ten days after the date such permit was suspended, such permit shall be automatically revoked. Upon receipt of notice of revocation, such operator shall immediately cease operation of such rooming house and no person shall occupy for sleeping or living purposes any rooming unit therein.
(h) At least one flush water closet, lavatory basin and bathtub or shower, properly connected to a water and sewer system approved by the Superintendent and in good working condition, shall be provided for each ten persons or fraction thereof residing within a rooming house, including members of the operator's family wherever they share the use of the facilities. Provided that in a rooming house where rooms are let only to males, flush urinals may be substituted for not more than one-third the required number of water closets. All such facilities shall be so located within the dwelling as to be reasonably accessible from a common hall or passageway to all persons sharing such facilities. Every lavatory basin and bathtub or shower shall be supplied with hot water at all times. No such facilities shall be located in a basement except by written approval of the Superintendent.
(i) The operator of every rooming house shall change supplied bed linen and towels therein at least once each week, and prior to the letting of any room to any occupant. The operator shall be responsible for the maintenance of all supplied bedding in a clean and sanitary manner.
(j) Every room occupied for sleeping purposes by one person shall contain at least seventy square feet of floor space, and every room occupied for sleeping purposes by more than one person shall contain at least fifty square feet for each additional occupant.
(k) Every rooming unit shall have at least one safe, unobstructed means of egress leading to safe, open space at ground level and to a public street or alley without having to pass through any other rooming unit.
(1) The operator of every rooming house shall be responsible for the sanitary maintenance of all walls, floors and ceilings; for maintenance of a sanitary condition in every other part of the rooming house; and for the sanitary maintenance of the premises of the rooming house.
(m) Every provision of this chapter which applies to rooming houses shall also apply to hotels, motels, tourist homes, except to the extent that any such provision may be found in conflict with the laws of this State or with the lawful regulations of any State board or agency.
(Ord. 70-253. Passed 7-21-70.)