Azusa Municipal Code Art. XII Residential Rental Registration and Inspection

The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

Change of use means to occupy a unit for other than a residence for one family.

Director means the director of community development.

Occupant means any person who occupied a unit, whether as an owner or tenant or permittee of the owner.

Owner includes the agent of the owner.

Person means the individual, partnership, corporation or association or the rental agent of any of such.

Unit means the residential dwelling unit in a single-family, two-family or multifamily residence building, which is not owner-occupied, excluding motels, hotels, roominghouses and boardinghouses and similar living accommodations.

(Code 1971, § 15.40.010)

Cross reference— Definitions and rules of construction generally, § 1-2.

No person shall rent, lease, occupy or otherwise permit any dwelling unit which is vacated by the previous occupant thereof to be reoccupied until such unit is registered with the city community development department or provided with a certificate of exemption.

(Code 1971, § 15.40.020)

No connection of utilities, including water, electricity and gas, shall be made for any dwelling unit which has been vacated by its prior occupants, unless such unit has been registered as required in this article and the owner presents proof of registration or proof of exemption to the utility company.

(Code 1971, § 15.40.030)

The owner of every rental unit shall, prior to renting or reoccupying a rental unit, obtain an annual registration and inspection certificate from the community development director by filing a written application on a form to be prescribed by the community development director and payment of an annual registration and inspection fee therefor. Such fees shall be set by separate resolution of the city council in accordance with applicable state law.

(Code 1971, § 15.40.040)

(a) The community development director shall cause each rental property to be inspected at least once annually for compliance with applicable sections of state and local codes relating to zoning, building, health, safety and property maintenance.

(b) Where inspection reveals a violation, the property owner shall be provided with a written notice describing the violation, location and a reasonable time for compliance.

(Code 1971, § 15.40.050)

Where violations of this article are found, the property owner will be charged for all costs incurred by the city for obtaining compliance pursuant to article XIV of this chapter.

(Code 1971, § 15.40.060)

(a) The rental registration certificate shall expire one year from the date of issuance or upon change of property ownership.

(b) The rental registration certificate shall state the following:

(1) The date of issue.

(2) The legal use of the property.

(3) The address of the property.

(4) The property owner's name and address.

(5) A registration number.

(6) The date of expiration.

(7) Any other pertinent information.

(Code 1971, § 15.40.065)

The requirement for an annual inspection and annual registration shall not apply to the following:

(1) Owner-occupied dwellings.

(2) Mobilehome parks.

(3) Reconnection of utilities turned off by the utility for lack of payment.

(4) Condominiums, townhouses, and dwellings with a planned unit development.

(Code 1971, § 15.40.070; Ord. No. 94-014, § 1, 7-18-94)

All owner-occupied dwellings shall be issued a certificate of exemption in lieu of a registration certificate required in this article upon request in conjunction with a real property records report. The certificate of exemption shall be valid for 30 days from date of issue and then voided. Requests for exemption will be processed and issued upon receipt of the city's copy of the real property records report signed by the buyer. No fee shall be charged for certificate of exemption issued in conjunction with a real property records report.

(Code 1971, § 15.40.080)

Where the exterior inspection provided for in this article gives evidence of possible interior defects or an extreme state of exterior dilapidation exists, the inspector shall have the right to make an interior inspection. Nothing in this article shall prohibit an interior inspection of any dwelling unit where the director requests and is granted entry by the owner or occupant of a unit.

(Code 1971, § 15.40.090)

Any person aggrieved by the determination of the director under this article may appeal to the city manager. The appeal must be filed in writing within seven days after the notification to the aggrieved person of the decision being appealed. The appeal must be in writing and must state with particularity the reason why the director's decision is being contested. The city manager shall issue a written decision on the appeal within 30 days of the receipt of the written appeal. The aggrieved person shall be notified in writing of the decision on the appeal.

(Code 1971, § 15.40.100; Ord. No. 98-09, § 2, 6-15-98)

Any person who violates any provision of this article is deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be punished as provided in section 1-10 of this Code.

(Code 1971, § 15.40.110)

It shall be considered a public nuisance to have or maintain any rental property which, upon inspection, fails to comply with state and local laws as they relate to housing standards, property maintenance, building codes or local zoning requirements. The director shall have the power to require correction of deficiencies identified through property inspection by using the procedure set forth in article XIV of this chapter.

(Code 1971, § 15.40.120)

Any person who fails to apply for an annual registration and inspection certificate as required by this article, and within the times required by this article, shall pay a penalty of ten percent of the application fee set pursuant to section 14-354 for each month or part thereof after the date the application was due. The penalty may be waived or abated by the director of community development for good cause.

(Code 1971, § 15.40.130)

(a) Nothing in this article shall prevent the enforcement of this article by criminal, civil or administrative actions either undertaken individually or in conjunction with other remedies.

(b) The enforcement of this article by a criminal, civil or administrative action shall not relieve the property owner of his obligations under this article.

(Code 1971, § 15.40.140)