The following words, when used in this article,
shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except in
those instances where the context clearly indicates otherwise. When
not inconsistent with the context, words used in the present tense
include the future; words in the plural number include the singular
number; words in the singular shall include the plural; and words
in the masculine shall include the feminine and the neuter.
AGENT
Individual of legal majority who has been designated by the
owner as the agent of the owner or manager of the property under the
provisions of this article.
BOROUGH CODE
The building code officially adopted by the governing body
of the Borough or other such codes officially designated by the governing
body of the Borough for the regulation of construction, alteration,
addition, repair, removal, demolition, location, occupancy and maintenance
of buildings and structures.
DORMITORY
A residence hall offered as student or faculty housing to
accommodate a college or university, providing living or sleeping
rooms for individuals or groups of individuals, with or without cooking
facilities and with or without private baths.
DWELLING UNIT
A single habitable unit, providing living facilities for
one or more persons, including permanent space for living, sleeping,
eating, cooking and bathing and sanitation, whether furnished or unfurnished.
There may be more than one dwelling unit on a premises.
FIRE DEPARTMENT
The Fire Department of the Borough of Bridgeport or any member
thereof, and includes the Chief of Fire or his designee.
HOTEL
A building or part of a building, existing now or in the
future, in which living and sleeping accommodations are used primarily
for transient occupancy, may be rented on a daily basis, and desk
service is provided, in addition to one or more of the following services:
maid, telephone, bellhop service, or the furnishing or laundering
of linens.
INSPECTOR
Any person authorized by law or ordinance to inspect buildings or systems, e.g., zoning, housing, plumbing, electrical systems, heat systems, mechanical systems, and health conditions necessary to operate or use buildings within the Borough of Bridgeport. An inspector would include those identified in §
425-16, Enforcement.
LET FOR OCCUPANCY
To permit, provide or offer, for consideration, possession
or occupancy of a building, dwelling unit, rooming unit, premises
or structure by a person who is not the legal owner of record thereof,
pursuant to a written or unwritten lease, agreement or license, or
pursuant to a recorded or unrecorded agreement or contract for the
sale of land.
MOTEL
A building or group of buildings, existing now or in the
future, which contain living and sleeping accommodations used primarily
for transient occupancy, may be rented on a daily basis, and desk
service is provided, and has individual entrances from outside the
building to serve each such living or sleeping unit.
OCCUPANT
A person age 18 or older, who resides at a premises.
OFFICE
The Office of Code Enforcement for the Borough of Bridgeport.
OPERATOR
Any person who has charge, care or control of a premises
which is offered or let for occupancy.
OWNER
Any person, agent or operator having a legal or equitable
interest in the property or recorded in the official records of the
state, county or municipality as holding title to the property or
otherwise having control of the property, including the guardian of
the estate of any such person and the executor or administrator of
the estate of such person if ordered to take possession of real property
by a court of competent jurisdiction.
OWNER/OCCUPANT
An owner who resides in a dwelling unit on a regular permanent
basis or who otherwise occupies a nonresidential portion of the premises
on a regular permanent basis.
PERSON
Any person, partnership, firm, association, corporation or
municipal authority or any other group acting as a single unit.
POLICE DEPARTMENT
The Police Department of the Borough of Bridgeport or any
member thereof sworn to enforce laws and ordinances in the Borough,
and includes the Chief of Police or his designee.
PREMISES
Any parcel of real property in the Borough, including the
land and all buildings and structures in which one or more rental
units are located.
RENTAL UNIT
A dwelling unit or rooming unit which is let for occupancy
and is occupied by one or more tenants.
ROOMING UNIT
Any room or groups of rooms forming a single habitable unit
occupied or intended to be occupied for sleeping or living but not
for cooking purposes.
TENANT
Any person authorized by the owner or agent who occupies
a rental unit within a premises, regardless of whether such person
has executed a lease for said premises.
ZONING ORDINANCE
Zoning Ordinance as officially adopted by the Borough of
Bridgeport, as amended.
Each owner who is not an owner/occupant, or
who does not reside in the Borough of Bridgeport or does not reside
within a ten-mile air radius of the Borough limits, shall appoint
an agent who shall reside in the Borough or within a ten-mile air
radius of the Borough limits.
In order to protect the health, safety and welfare
of the residents of the Borough, it is hereby declared that the Borough
shall require hazard and general liability insurance for all property
owners letting property for occupancy in the Borough.
A. Minimum coverage; use of insurance proceeds: All owners
shall be required to obtain a minimum of $50,000 in general liability
insurance and hazard and casualty insurance in an amount sufficient
to either restore or remove the building in the event of a fire or
other casualty. Further, in the event of any fire or loss covered
by such insurance, it shall be the obligation of the owner to use
such insurance proceeds to cause the restoration or demolition or
other repair of the property in adherence to the Borough Code and
all applicable ordinances.
B. Property owners to provide Borough with insurance information: Owners shall be required to place their insurance company name, policy number and policy expiration date on their rental property registration form or, in the alternative, to provide the Code Enforcement Office with a copy of a certificate of insurance. A registration certificate (see §
425-14 below) shall not be issued to any owner or agent unless the aforementioned information has been provided to the Code Enforcement Office. The Code Enforcement Office shall be informed of any change in policies for a particular rental property or cancellation of a policy for said property within 30 days of said change or cancellation.
If any person shall fail, refuse or neglect to comply with a notice of violation as set forth in §
425-12 above, the Borough shall have the right to file an enforcement action with the Magisterial District Judge against any person the Borough deems to be in violation. If, after a hearing, the Magisterial District Judge determines that such person or persons are in violation, the Magisterial District Judge may, at the Borough's request, order the closure of the rental unit(s), or assess fines in accordance with §
425-18 below, until such violations are corrected. Such order shall be stayed pending any appeal to the Court of Common Pleas of Montgomery County.
The provisions of the article shall not apply
to the following properties, which are exempt from registration and
license requirements:
A. Hotels, motels and dormitories, whether existing now
or in the future.
B. Rental units owned by public authorities, as defined
under the Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Act, and dwelling units
that are part of an elderly housing multiunit building which is 75%
occupied by individuals over the age of 65.
C. Multidwelling units that operate under Internal Revenue
Service Code Section 42, concerning entities that operate with an
elderly component.
D. Properties which consist of a double home, half of
which is let for occupancy and half of which is owner-occupied as
the owner's residence.
All registration information collected by the
Borough under this article shall be maintained as confidential and
shall not be disseminated or released to any individual, group or
organization for any purpose except as provided herein or required
by law. Information may be released only to authorized individuals
when required during the course of an official Borough, state or federal
investigation or inquiry.
This article shall not affect violations of
any other ordinance, code or regulation existing prior to the effective
date thereof and any such violations shall be governed and shall continue
to be punishable to the full extent of the law under the provisions
of those ordinances, codes or regulations in effect at the time the
violation was committed.