A ROOMINGHOUSE is a dwelling house, roominghouse, furnished-room house, lodginghouse, boardinghouse or any other similarly occupied building, structure or portion thereof, kept, held or used, where sleeping or lodging is provided (or which is equipped to provide lodging) by prearrangement for a definite period, for compensation, for three or more persons in contradistinction to hotels open to transients.
(Prior Code, § 116.180)