[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners
of the Township of Swatara 12-13-1974 by Ord. No. 1974-21 (Ch. 13, Part 2, of the 1990 Code).
Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Taxation — See Ch. 261.
This chapter is passed to provide for the uniform
and equitable distribution of the tax levies in the Township of Swatara
and upon the inhabitants thereof and to promote the health, safety,
morals and general welfare of the inhabitants of Swatara Township.
[Amended 4-14-1976 by Ord. No. 1976-21]
The following words and phrases, when used in
this chapter, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section:
A parcel of real estate, with or without improvements located
thereon, utilized by any person or persons for any commercial motive
or purpose.
One or more rooms used for living and sleeping purposes arranged
for occupancy by one family or by one or more persons.
A lessor, or person who acts as agent for the lessor, of
any parcel of real estate located in the Township of Swatara, or a
lessor, or person who acts as agent for the lessor, of any improvements
on real estate or any building located in the Township Swatara.
Includes any individual, partnership, association, firm or
corporation.
A person who has the use, either by himself or with others,
of a dwelling unit or a business unit owned by a person other than
himself, for a period exceeding 30 days.
After the date of this chapter and within 30
days from the passage thereof, each landlord shall report to the Secretary
of the Township of Swatara, at the Township Building, on a report
form to be supplied by the said Secretary, the following information:
A.
A list of the dwelling units and business units owned
by the landlord, located within the Township limits, whether occupied
or not occupied.
B.
The address of each dwelling unit and business unit.
C.
A brief description of each dwelling unit or business
unit.
D.
The names of the tenant or tenants utilizing the aforementioned
dwelling unit or business unit, if any.
E.
Whether or not said dwelling unit or business unit
is inhabited or utilized by tenants.
After the date of this chapter, any person who becomes a landlord as to any parcel of real estate or to any improvement on real estate or building located in the Township of Swatara by agreement of sale, by deed, or by any other means, shall, within 30 days thereafter, report to the Secretary of the aforesaid Township the information and data set forth in § 223-3 above, and on the forms to be provided by the Secretary of the Township of Swatara.
After the date of this chapter, each and every
landlord of property within the Township of Swatara shall report to
the Secretary of the Township on a report form to be supplied by the
said Secretary, any change in the use or occupancy of any dwelling
unit or business unit owned by the aforesaid landlord. Such reported
change shall include the name or names of new tenants of such dwelling
unit or business unit, the date when such change was effected and
the forwarding address of the old tenant or tenants if known. A landlord
of a hotel, inn or boardinghouse shall not be required to report a
person as a "tenant" until that person has resided in such landlord's
establishment for a period exceeding 30 days. In the event that a
dwelling unit or business unit was used or utilized by a tenant and
then becomes vacant, this change shall also be reported to the Secretary.
All reports required by this section shall be made within 10 days
after a landlord has knowledge that such a unit has had a change in
occupancy or has become vacant.
The Secretary of the Township of Swatara, under
the authority of this chapter, shall have the following duties:
A.
To maintain on file at the Township Office the names
of the landlords owning dwelling units and business units in Swatara
Township, said list to include the names of the current tenants of
said dwelling units and business units.
C.
To notify the Chief of Police and the Fire Chief of
Swatara Township the address and description of any dwelling unit
or business unit that is vacant, unoccupied and not in use.
[Amended 4-14-1976 by Ord. No. 1976-21; 4-11-1990 by Ord. No. 1990-1]
Any landlord who shall violate any provision
of this chapter, or who furnishes false information to the Township
of Swatara, or who uses a false name or address in any report required
by this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof, be sentenced to pay
a fine of not less than $30 nor more than $600 and costs of prosecution,
or, in default of payment of such fine and costs, to undergo imprisonment
for not more than 30 days. Every day that a violation of this chapter
continues shall constitute a separate offense.
