16.40.020   Substandard residential building defined.
   The term "substandard residential building" shall mean any residential building including any dwelling unit, guest room, or suite of rooms or the premises on which the same is located, in which any of the following conditions exist to an extent that endangers the life, limb, health, property, safety or welfare of the public or the occupants thereof:
   (a)   Structural unsoundness, including:
   (1)   Weakened or deteriorated footings.
   (2)   Footings of insufficient size to carry imposed loads with safety.
   (3)   Defective or deteriorated flooring or floor supports.
   (4)   Flooring or floor supports of insufficient size to carry imposed loads with safety.
   (5)   Members of walls, partitions, or other vertical supports that split, lean, list, or buckle due to defective material or deterioration.
   (6)   Members of walls, partitions, or other vertical supports that are of insufficient size to carry imposed loads with safety.
   (7)   Members of ceilings, roofs, ceiling and roof supports, or other horizontal members which sag, split, or buckle due to defective material or deterioration.
   (8)   Members of ceilings, roofs, ceiling and roof supports, or other horizontal members that are of insufficient size to carry imposed loads with safety.
   (9)   Fireplaces or chimneys which list, bulge, or settle, due to defective material or deterioration.
   (10)   Fireplaces or chimneys which are of insufficient size or strength to carry imposed loads with safety.
   (b)   Improper materials of construction, including all materials except those specifically allowed or approved by this code.
   (c)   Fire hazard, as defined in Title 15 of this code.
   (d)   Nuisance, as defined in Chapter 9.56 of this code.
   (e)   Improperly weatherproofed, including:
   (1)   Crumbling, loose, or failing plaster.
   (2)   Broken windows or doors.
   (3)   Defective or lack of waterproofing for wood frame walls.
   (4)   Defective or weathered exterior wall covering due to lack of paint or other approved protective coating.
   (5)   Defective or lack of waterproofing for wood frame roofs.
   (6)   Broken, split, decayed, or buckled exterior wall or roof covering.
   (f)   Defective wiring, including all wiring except that which was legally installed in compliance with the Palo Alto Electrical Code in effect at the time of installation and is still maintained in good condition.
   (g)   Defective plumbing, including all plumbing except that which was legally installed in compliance with the Palo Alto Plumbing Code in effect at the time of installation and is still maintained in good condition.
   (h)   Defective heating and ventilation devices and accessory vents and piping, including all such devices and accessory vents and piping except those which:
   (1)   Were legally installed in compliance with this code in effect at the time of installation and are still maintained in good condition; and
   (2)   Are properly vented as required by this chapter.
   (i)   Improper sanitation and safety, including:
   (1)   Lack of one bath, lavatory and water closet in a dwelling unit.
   (2)   Lack of one bath, lavatory and water closet either serving each ten guest rooms, or serving each twenty guests if housed in less than ten guest rooms.
   (3)   Lack of kitchen sink in the kitchen of a dwelling unit.
   (4)   Lack of running water to sink, bath, water closet and lavatory in a dwelling unit.
   (5)   Lack of running water in bath, water closet and lavatory guest rooms.
   (6)   Lack of heating device to provide hot running water for bath and kitchen sink in a dwelling unit.
   (7)   Lack of heating device to provide hot running water for the baths serving guest rooms.
   (8)   Lack of adequate electric lighting.
   (9)   Lack of adequate heating system.
   (10)   Window areas or ventilation less than that required by this chapter.
   (11)   Room areas, ceiling height and cubic air space less than those required by this chapter.
   (12)   Damp, wet rooms used for living purposes.
   (13)   Infestation with insects, vermin and rodents, when so determined by the health officer.
   (14)   General dilapidated condition and not maintained as required by this chapter.
   (15)   Improperly enclosed or unsanitary underfloor area.
   (16)   Improperly ventilated or reduced height of underfloor area.
   (17)   Improperly ventilated cooking facilities.
   (j)   Exits, including:
   (1)   All doors, passageways, stairways, and courts which do not comply with the provisions of this chapter.
   (2)   Lack of access to each dwelling unit, guest room, or suite of rooms without passing through some portion of another dwelling unit, guest room or suite of rooms.
   (k)   Lack of, or defective fire protective equipment, where required by this chapter.
   (l)   Any building which is occupied by a residential occupancy for which it was not designed or intended.
   (m)   Visible mold growth, as determined by a health officer or a code enforcement officer, except mold that is minor and found on surfaces that accumulate moisture as part of their proper functioning and use.
   (n)   Any residential building which constitutes a "dangerous building," as defined in this code.
   (o)   Any residential building which constitutes a substandard building under the California State Housing Law, Section 17920.3, as it may be amended from time to time.
(Ord. 5397 § 2, 2016: Ord. 2104 (part), 1962: prior code § 34.901(b))