(a) Permit Required. No person shall operate a rooming house unless he holds a current, unrevoked operating permit issued by the Inspector in his name for the specific named rooming house.
(b) Annual Renewal. Every operating permit shall be issued for a period of one year from its date of issuance unless sooner revoked, and may be renewed for successive periods of not to exceed one year.
(c) Issuance. The Inspector is hereby authorized upon application therefor to issue new operating permits and renewals thereof, in the names of applicant owners or operators of rooming houses. No such permits shall be issued unless the rooming house in connection with which the permit is sought is found after inspection to meet all applicable requirements of this chapter and applicable rules pursuant thereto.
(d) Application. No operating permit shall be issued or renewed unless the applicant owner or operator has first made application; therefore, on an application form provided by the Inspector. The Inspector shall develop such forms and make them available to the public.
(e) Consent to Inspection. No operating permit shall be issued or renewed unless the applicant owner or operator agrees in his application to an inspection to determine whether the rooming house in connection with which such permit is sought is in compliance with the applicable provisions of this chapter and with applicable rules pursuant thereto.
(f) Agent. No operating permit shall be issued or renewed for a nonresident applicant unless such applicant designates in writing to the Inspector the name of his agent for the receipt of service of notice of violation of the provisions of this chapter and for service of process pursuant to this chapter. Such a designation shall be made in writing and shall accompany each application form.
(g) Notice of Sale. Each permit shall be displayed in a conspicuous place within the common ways of the rooming house. No permit shall be transferable to another person, or to another rooming house. Every person holding an operating permit shall give notice in writing to the Inspector within twenty-four hours after having transferred or otherwise disposed of the legal control of a permitted rooming house. Such notice shall include the name and address of the person or persons succeeding to the ownership or control of the rooming house.
(h) Notice of Violation. Whenever, upon inspection of the approved rooming house, the Inspector finds that conditions or practices exist which are in violation of the provisions of this chapter or of any applicable rules made pursuant thereto, he shall serve the owner or operator with notice of such violation in the manner hereinafter provided. Such notice shall state that unless the violations cited are corrected within a reasonable time as determined by the Inspector, the operating permit may be suspended.
(i) Violation not Corrected. At the end of the time he has allowed for correction of any violation cited, the Inspector shall reinspect the rooming house and if he determines that such conditions have not been corrected, he may issue an order suspending the operating permit.
(j) Reconsideration or Appeal. Any person whose permit to operate a rooming house has been suspended shall be entitled to a reconsideration of the order by an administrative conference or by an appeal to the Housing Board of Appeals in the manner hereinafter provided by this chapter. If no request for reconsideration or appeal is filed the Inspector within twenty-one days following the issuance of the order of suspension, the permit shall be revoked, except that prior to revocation any person whose permit has been suspended may request reinspection upon a showing that the violation or violations cited in the notice have been corrected.
(k) Reinspection. If, upon reinspection, the Inspector finds that the rooming house in connection with which the notice was issued is now in compliance with this chapter and with applicable rules issued pursuant thereto, he shall reinstate the permit. A request for reinspection shall not extend the suspension period, unless the Inspector grants such request.
(Ord. 980. Passed 10-11-93.)