Chapter 14.16 — QUADRENNIAL CERTIFICATE OF INSPECTION

Editor's note— Ord. No. 7337, § 2, adopted Feb. 4, 2019, amended Ch. 14.16 in its entirety to read as herein set out. Former Ch. 14.16, §§ 14.16.010—14.16.150, pertained to similar subject matter and derived from Ord. No. 5121, §§ 1—7, 10—15, 1973; Ord. No. 5231, §§ 1, 4, 5, 1975; Ord. No. 6189, §§ 1—4, 1986; Ord. No. 6325, §§ 1—8, 11, 1989; Ord. No. 6451, § 1, 1991; Ord. No. 6761, § 6, 1998; Ord. No. 7201, §§ 5(B)—5(K), 12-6-2010.

This chapter shall be known as the "quadrennial inspection ordinance."

(Ord. No. 7337, § 2, 2-4-2019)

A.

"Administrator" means the housing and neighborhood services administrator of the planning and community development department of the city.

B.

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

C.

"Owner" means the person in whom the title to property is vested or that person's agent.

D.

"Person" means an individual, partnership, corporation or association, or the rental agent of any of the foregoing.

E.

"Quadrennial certificate of inspection" means a permit valid for four years issued to owners of multifamily residential projects of three or more units, including boarding or rooming houses.

F.

For purposes of this chapter a "boarding or rooming house" means a house where 3 or more rooms up to 5, are provided for rent.

(Ord. No. 7337, § 2, 2-4-2019; Ord. No. 7364, § 17, 5-18-2020)

No person shall occupy any multifamily residential unit, or room within a boarding house without a valid quadrennial certificate of inspection, as hereinafter provided.

With respect to multifamily residential units and rooming or boarding houses, each unit shall be inspected no less than once every 4 years.

(Ord. No. 7337, § 2, 2-4-2019)

A.

Prior to the occupancy of a multifamily residential complex or boarding house, the owner shall file a business license application for residential rental accommodations, accompanied by the fee.

B.

The application fee covers one inspection of the site. Additional fees shall be charged for second or subsequent inspection visits.

(Ord. No. 7337, § 2, 2-4-2019)

After an inspection date is scheduled, the administrator shall cause an inspection of the unit(s) to be made for compliance with the city's housing code, zoning plan and code, and other ordinances of the city related to the health and safety of residents. If the unit(s) is in compliance with said codes and ordinances, the administrator shall issue a quadrennial certificate of inspection.

(Ord. No. 7337, § 2, 2-4-2019)

The quadrennial certificate of inspection shall state:

A.

The date of issue;

B.

The legal use and occupancy of the unit;

C.

The address of the building and/or unit;

D.

The name of the person to whom it is issued; and

E.

The certification that the unit complies with the provisions of applicable codes and ordinances.

(Ord. No. 7337, § 2, 2-4-2019)

A.

The quadrennial certificate of inspection shall be void upon a change of use of the unit to a nonresidential use.

B.

The quadrennial certificate of inspection shall be void 4 years after the date appearing on the certificate of inspection.

(Ord. No. 7337, § 2, 2-4-2019)

Where an inspection discloses such unit is not in compliance with said codes and ordinances, the administrator shall give written notice of each deficiency to the owner. No quadrennial certificate of inspection shall be issued to the owner until all deficiencies are corrected. If the owner fails to correct all the deficiencies within the time specified on the housing inspection

report, the case shall be referred to the code enforcement appeals commission or to the city prosecutor's office for appropriate action, depending on the seriousness of the violation.

(Ord. No. 7337, § 2, 2-4-2019)

The owner shall be responsible for making the unit available for inspection by city.

(Ord. No. 7337, § 2, 2-4-2019)

Any person aggrieved by the determination of the administrator under this chapter may appeal to the code enforcement commission in the manner provided in Section 14.12.120.

(Ord. No. 7337, § 2, 2-4-2019)

The administrator shall promulgate written rules and regulations pertaining to the enforcement and implementation of this chapter. Such rules and regulations shall not become effective until they have been approved and ordered filed by the city council. Any such rules and amendments thereto shall not take effect until they are so approved and filed after a public hearing therefor. Nothing herein shall prevent the administrator in emergency situations from taking such temporary action as is, in his judgment, within the spirit and intent of this chapter and adopted rules and regulations.

(Ord. No. 7337, § 2, 2-4-2019)

Nothing herein contained shall prevent an owner or tenant from voluntarily requesting a housing code inspection and certificate at any time for the purpose of determining whether the premises complies with law.

(Ord. No. 7337, § 2, 2-4-2019)

A.

Any person who violates any provision of this chapter is deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $1,000.00 or by imprisonment in jail for a period not exceeding 6 months, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

B.

In addition to the penalty provisions in subsection A of this section, violation of Section 14.16.030 may be subject to the administrative proceedings set forth in Chapter 1.25 or 1.26 of this code.

(Ord. No. 7337, § 2, 2-4-2019)