(B) (1) No person shall operate a rooming house unless he holds a valid rooming house permit issued by the Housing Inspector in the name of the operator and for the specific dwelling or dwelling unit. The operator shall apply to the City Clerk for such permit which shall be issued by the Building Inspector upon inspection and upon compliance by the operator with the applicable provisions of this ordinance and of any rules and regulations adopted pursuant thereto. The annual fee for such permit shall be $2.00 per sleeping room.
(2) Each permit shall be displayed in a conspicuous place within the rooming house at all times. No such permit shall be transferable. Every person holding such a permit shall give notice in writing to the Housing Inspector within twenty-four hours after having sold, transferred, or otherwise disposed of ownership or interest in or control of any rooming house. Such notice shall include the name and address of the person succeeding to the ownership or control of such rooming house. Every rooming permit shall expire on January 1 of the year following the year of issuance unless sooner suspended or revoked as hereinafter provided. Permits not renewed by January 31 of each year shall be charged a penalty of $1.00 per month for each month overdue.
(C) Any person whose application for a permit to operate a rooming house has been denied may request and shall be granted a hearing on the matter before the Board of Appeals under the procedure set out in this Article.
(D) Whenever the inspection of any rooming house indicates that conditions or practices exist which are in violation of any provision of this ordinance or of any rule or regulation adopted pursuant thereto or of any code previously or subsequently adopted by this Council, the Inspector shall give notice in writing to the operator of such rooming house that unless conditions or practices are corrected within a reasonable period, the operator’s rooming house permit will be suspended. At the end of such period, the Housing Inspector shall reinspect such rooming house and if he finds that such conditions and practices have not been corrected, he shall give notice in writing to the operator that the operator’s permit has been suspended. Upon receipt of notice of suspension, such operator shall immediately cease operation of such rooming house and no person shall occupy for sleeping or living purposes any rooming unit therein.
(E) Any person whose permit to operate a rooming house has been suspended, or who has received notice from the Housing Inspector that his permit is to be suspended unless existing conditions or practices at his rooming house are corrected, may request and shall be granted a hearing on the matter before the Board of Appeals referred to herein; provided that if no petition for such hearing is filed within 30 days following the day on which such permit was suspended, such permit shall be deemed to have been automatically revoked.
(F) At least one flush water closet, lavatory basin, and bathtub or shower, properly connected to a sewer and water system approved by the Housing Inspector and in good working condition, shall be supplied for each eight persons or fraction thereof residing within a rooming house, including members of the operator’s family wherever they share the use of said facilities. Provided it is a rooming house where rooms are let only to males, flush urinals may be substituted for not more than 2 of 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 Housing Inspector.
(G) Every room occupied for sleeping purposes by one person shall contain at least 70 square feet of floor space, and every room occupied for sleeping purposes by more than one shall contain at least 50 square feet of floor space for each occupant thereof.
(H) Every rooming unit shall have safe, unobstructed means of egress leading to safe and open space at ground level, as required by the laws of the State of Illinois and ordinances of the City of Mt. Vernon.
(I) The owner or operator of every rooming house shall be responsible for the sanitary maintenance of all walls, floors, and ceilings, and the maintenance of a sanitary condition in every other part of the rooming house; and he shall further be responsible for the sanitary maintenance of the entire premises where the entire structure or building is leased or occupied by the operator.
(J) Every provision of this ordinance which applies to rooming houses shall also apply to hotels and motels except to the extent that any such provision may be found in conflict with the laws of the State of Illinois or with the lawful regulations of any State Board or Agency.
(K) The operator of every rooming house shall change supplied bed linens and towels therein at least once every week and prior to the letting of any room to an occupant. The operator shall be responsible for the maintenance of all supplied bedding in a clean and sanitary manner.
(Prior Code, Art. 10, § 10.9)