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(1) Required.
(a) The owner of any property for which a rental license is required shall, at the inception of each tenancy, provide to the tenant a Certificate of Rental Suitability that was issued by the Department no more than sixty days prior to the inception of the tenancy. The owner shall at the same time provide the tenant a copy of the owner's attestation to the suitability of the dwelling unit as received by the Department pursuant to subsection 9-3903(2)(b)(.3), and a copy of the "City of Philadelphia Partners for Good Housing Handbook" issued by the Department, or such other document as the Department shall require. The Certificate of Rental Suitability may be for either an individual dwelling unit, or for the entire building in which the unit is located.
(b) Exception. The provisions of subsection 9-3903(1)(a) shall not apply with respect to any rental to a tenant who is a member of the owner's family.
(2) Application and Issuance.
(a) Applications for a Certificate of Rental Suitability shall be made on forms provided by the Department.
(b) The Department shall issue a Certificate of Rental Suitability only after it determines that:
(.1) The owner of the property has obtained all required licenses with respect to the property, including a rental license.
(.2) There are no outstanding violation notices under this Code with respect to the property, except with respect to violations for which there is a pending appeal of which the owner has notified the Department in a manner prescribed by the Department.
Exception: The Department of Licenses and Inspections may promulgate regulations regarding conditions under which Certificates of Rental Suitability may be issued, despite violations of Section PM-108.1.3 (Unsafe shared retaining walls). 1330
(.3) The owner of the premises to be leased acknowledges the obligation to provide a fit and habitable property and states that: (1) all fire protection and smoke detection equipment for the premises are present and in proper operating order in accordance with all applicable requirements of The Philadelphia Code and regulations and standards adopted thereunder; (2) the operating systems are working properly to provide a fit and habitable condition; and (3) the owner will continue to maintain all fire protection and smoke detection equipment for the premises in accordance with all applicable requirements of The Philadelphia Code and regulations and standards adopted thereunder, will continue to maintain the operating systems in proper working order, and will continue to maintain the property in a fit and habitable condition.
(c) The Certificate shall set forth the applicable rental license number for the property, the date of the last inspection conducted by the Department (where applicable) and the applicable zoning designation, and shall set out the process by which a tenant may request a further inspection of the property by the Department.
(d) Failure by the owner to correct code violations covered by subsection (2)(b)(.3) within thirty (30) days of receiving a notice of violation, or sooner as indicated by the Department, shall be considered to be noncompliance with this Section.
(3) Fee.
(a) The owner of the property shall not be required to pay a fee.
Notes
1330 | Added, Bill No. 230647 (approved December 13, 2023). |
(1) Required.
(a) The owner of any lot on which no structure is built and no productive activity has been conducted with the owner's permission for at least the past three (3) months shall obtain a Vacant Lot License.
(b) Exceptions. No license is required for the following:
(.1) Vacant lots contiguous to and in common ownership with a vacant lot that has a current vacant lot license. This exception shall include building lots in common ownership within an approved subdivision, provided there is a current vacant lot license for the subdivision tract.
(.2) Vacant lots contiguous to or separated by a driveway from a building where there is common ownership of the lot and the building. This exception includes a contiguous lot owned and maintained by the abutting property owner as a side yard.
(.3) A lot that is continuously maintained as a garden.
(1) Required. The owner of any structure that lacks the habitual presence of human beings who have a legal right to be on the premises, or at which substantially all lawful business or construction operations or residential occupancy has ceased within the past three (3) months, shall obtain a Vacant Structure License.
(a) Exception. The owner of a vacant structure for which a current and valid rental license has been issued shall not be required to obtain a Vacant Structure License.
(a) Bonding. In addition to the license issuance requirements set forth in subsection 9-3901(2), the Department shall issue or renew a vacant structure license for a Large Vacant Commercial and Industrial Property (as defined in Section PM-202) only if the applicant has also posted a bond or other security or a deposit in form approved by the Law Department and in an amount determined by the Department to be necessary to secure the City's potential cost of correcting Code violations or abating unsafe or imminently dangerous conditions as authorized by Section PM-108.2, Section PM-110.4, Section PM-902.13 or any other provision of this Code. If the City does incur such costs, the City may recover such costs from the posted bond or other security or deposit, in addition to pursuing any other remedy authorized by law. The bond or other security shall provide that it will not expire and the City need not release it upon transfer of the property unless and until a subsequent owner posts a comparable bond or other security or deposit. Failure to post the required security or deposit or to maintain such security or deposit may result in the suspension or denial of any license issued to the owner under this Code, which license suspension(s) or denial(s) shall continue until the owner has posted the required security. No license shall be suspended under this provision until the owner has been provided written notice.
(b) Owner Consent Statement. At the time of license application, a building owner may complete a written statement on a form provided by the Department granting consent to the City for access to the building for purposes of inspection, enforcement of the City Code and protection of public safety.
(c) City Inspections of LVCIPs. In connection with inspections of LVCIPs conducted pursuant to Section F-108.6 of the Code or otherwise, if consent has not been provided under subsection (b) and is not otherwise provided by the owner or lawful occupant, the City shall take such steps as may be necessary to gain access to the property in order to carry out the inspection, including, when needed, obtaining an administrative warrant.
Notes
1331 | Amended, Bill No. 150650 (approved December 23, 2015). |
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