(a) Fire safety.
(1) The presence and operations of window openings, size and condition of exits, bars, grills, grates covering windows and openings shall allow for safe and rapid egress in emergency situations. At least one (1) window and all doors in living/sleeping rooms in dwelling units must have an operable release mechanism that allows safe and rapid egress without the use of separate tools.
(2) Every dwelling unit or guest room shall have unobstructed access directly to the outside, or to a public corridor. Every door, stairway, passageway or other means of exit shall be of sufficient size, width and arrangement so as to provide safe and rapid egress in the event of fire. Every walking surface of any means of exit shall be maintained free of warping, rotting, or other damage or obstructions so as to provide safe and rapid egress in the event of fire.
(3) Every existing dwelling unit shall be provided with smoke detectors in good operating condition as required by the Tucson Fire Code of the City of Tucson.
(b) Heating, cooling and ventilation systems.
(1) Heating. Every habitable room within a dwelling unit, guest room, and congregate residence shall be provided with safe heating facilities which are properly installed and maintained in a sound condition and are capable of providing adequate heating, appropriate for the climate, to assure a safe living environment. All heating facilities shall be free from health hazards associated with ventilation, mounting, electrical and gas connections and other defects. Unvented fuel-burning heaters must be of a listed and approved type, and are prohibited as the sole source of heating. Ovens, stoves or ranges, or other cooking appliances cannot be used for the purpose of heating any portion of a dwelling. Listed, portable space heaters may only be used as the sole source of heating on a temporary basis when the permanent heating system is being repaired or replaced.
(2) Cooling. Every dwelling unit, guest room, and congregate residence shall be provided, in all habitable rooms, with either mechanical cooling or an alternate cooling method, to assure a safe living environment. Cooling facilities shall be installed and maintained in a safe condition and in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations, and shall comply with the following:
a. Air conditioners shall be capable of producing ambient temperatures at or below eighty-two (82°) degrees. Measurements shall be taken at a distance of three (3) feet above the floor in center of the room.
b. Evaporative coolers shall be capable of producing ambient temperatures below eighty-six (86°) degrees. Measurements shall be taken at a distance of three (3) feet above the floor in center of the room.
c. Evaporative cooling shall be maintained to be free of excessive rust, corrosion or mineral deposits that limit proper operation. Any mounting apparatus for a cooling facility must be structurally sound.
d. Mechanical fans or portable evaporative cooling devices may only be used on a temporary basis as the sole source of cooling when the permanent cooling system is being repaired or replaced.
(3) Ventilation.
a. Habitable rooms within a dwelling unit shall be provided with natural ventilation by means of openable exterior openings with an area of not less than five (5) square feet. A mechanical ventilating system may be provided in lieu of required exterior openings for natural ventilation, so long as such system is capable of providing thirty-five one-hundredths (0.35) air changes per hour and so long as the air supply is taken from the outside.
b. Bathrooms, laundry rooms, water closet compartments and similar rooms shall be provided with natural ventilation by means of openable exterior openings with an area not less than one and one-half (1 1/2) square feet. A mechanical ventilation system connected directly to the outside may be provided in lieu of these required exterior openings for natural ventilation in bathrooms that contain a bathtub, shower or combination thereof; laundry rooms; and similar rooms. Such a system must be capable of providing five (5) air changes at the rate of fifty (50) cubic feet per minute if the system operation is intermittent; or twenty (20) cubic feet per minute if the operation is constant. The point of discharge of exhaust air shall be at least three (3) feet from any opening into the building. In bathrooms containing only a water closet, lavatory or combination thereof; or in similar rooms, ventilation may be provided with an approved mechanical recirculating fan or a similar device designed to remove odors from the room.
(c) Electrical system.
(1) All dwellings and dwelling units shall be provided with electrical service. Electrical facilities connected to or in any building or structure are to be maintained hazard-free and in a state of good repair. The electrical system shall be free from such hazards as bare wiring; overloaded circuits or services; equipment not properly grounded; over-fused circuits; misuse of wiring, including the use of extension cords in lieu of permanent wiring; non-approved wiring; and wiring exposed to moisture or extreme heat. Broken, loose, frayed, inoperable, defective or missing portions of the electrical service, lines, switches, outlets, fixtures and fixture coverings shall be repaired or replaced.
(2) All electrical equipment, wiring and appliances shall be installed and maintained in a safe manner and in accordance with all applicable laws.
(3) Every habitable room must have at least two (2) electrical receptacle outlets, or one (1) outlet and one (1) electric light fixture. Every bathroom, water closet compartment, and laundry room must have at least one (1) electric light fixture.
(d) Mechanical equipment. All mechanical equipment and appliances shall be properly installed, maintained in a safe, working, operating condition, and shall be free of any defect that impairs operability.
(e) Plumbing systems.
(1) Dwelling units shall be provided with one (1) or more bathrooms equipped with a water closet, lavatory, and either a bathtub or shower. Hotels or subdivisions thereof where both sexes are accommodated shall contain at least two (2) separate toilet facilities that are conspicuously identified for male or female use, each of which contains at least one (1) water closet. Additional water closets shall be provided on each floor for each sex at the rate of one (1) for every additional ten (10) guests or fractional part thereof, in excess of ten (10). Each sink, bathtub and shower shall have hot and cold running water as necessary for its normal operation and use.
(2) All dwellings or dwelling units shall have a kitchen, which shall include an indoor cooking area. The cooking area must be provided with a sink separate and apart from any bathroom sink or lavatory. Each kitchen sink shall have hot and cold running water necessary for its normal operation and use.
(3) All plumbing systems are to be maintained safe and hazard free and in a state of good repair. Every dwelling or dwelling unit shall have an adequate potable water supply. Every plumbing fixture, water and waste-pipe, and gas connection shall be properly installed in accordance with all applicable laws and maintained in good and sanitary working condition so as to prevent structural deterioration or health hazards, and are to be free from leaks and obstructions.
(4) All plumbing fixtures shall be connected to a public sewer system or to an approved private sewage disposal system, with the connections free from leaks, blockages, or other defects. All plumbing fixtures shall be connected to an approved system of water supply and provided with hot and cold running water necessary for its normal operation.
(5) When a structure is equipped with a gas supply system, it must be installed and maintained in a safe, hazard-free condition.
(f) Interior surfaces and features.
(1) Every wall or vertical support must be sufficient to carry imposed loads safely, and must not lean, buckle, or split due to defect or lack of maintenance.
(2) Every ceiling, roof, and ceiling and roof support must be sufficient to carry imposed loads safely, and must not buckle, sag or split due to defective material or deterioration.
(3) Every floor and floor support shall be maintained in a safe and structurally sound condition, and every existing floor covering shall be maintained in safe condition that is free of defect or deterioration that creates an unsafe or unsanitary condition.
(4) Every interior door, cabinet, and other feature shall be maintained in a safe and structurally sound condition.
(5) All interior coverings, finishes, surfaces including walls, ceilings and floors shall be maintained in a good, clean and sanitary condition. Peeling, chipping, flaking or abraded paint shall be repaired, removed or covered. All walls, ceilings or floors shall be free from holes, breaks and loose or rotting materials. Cracked or loose plaster, wallboard, decayed wood or other defective surface conditions shall be corrected.
(6) All repair work shall be done in a workman like manner.
(g) Interior sanitation.
(1) The interior of every building or structure shall be maintained free from any unsafe or unsanitary accumulation of refuse.
(2) All sanitary facilities shall be installed and maintained in a safe and sanitary condition.
(3) Every dwelling unit must have a kitchen, which shall include a sink. Sinks, drain boards and countertops adjacent to the kitchen sink shall be made of non-absorbent materials, or must be covered by a non-absorbent material.
(h) Interior insect and rodent control. The interior of all buildings and structures shall be kept free from infestation of insects, rodents and other noxious pests where such infestation threatens the health, safety or welfare of a person or persons.
(i) Ceiling heights. Habitable space, kitchens, halls, bathrooms and toilet compartments must have a ceiling height of not less than seven (7) feet measured to the lowest projection of the ceiling. If any room has a sloping ceiling, at least one-half ( 1/2) of the room area must have the prescribed minimum ceiling height.
(j) Access control.
(1) Exterior doors, including sliding glass doors, must have an operable locking mechanism. Double cylinder dead bolt locks or other mechanisms that prevent rapid egress in case of fire or other emergency are prohibited.
(2) All windows must have an operable locking mechanism.
(Ord. No. 9816, § 15, 2-24-03; Ord. No. 10126, § 2, 3-1-05; Ord. No. 10833, § 2, 8-4-10; Ord. No. 11826, § 1, 3-9-21)