[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors
of the Township of South Strabane 4-14-1982 by Ord. No. 2-1982;
amended in its entirety 8-11-2015 by Ord. No. 3-2015. Subsequent amendments noted where
applicable.]
Said Rental Occupancy Report Ordinance, as amended herein, is
enacted to provide for the uniform and equitable distribution of tax
levies within the Township of South Strabane and upon the inhabitants
thereof, as well as to promote the health, safety and general welfare
of the citizens of the Township of South Strabane, and to provide
for an efficient notification, location and communication within the
public safety departments of the Township of South Strabane as to
occupancy of dwellings and the location of said citizens of South
Strabane.
As used herein, the following terms shall have the following
meanings indicated unless a different meaning clearly appears in the
context:
A parcel of real estate, with or without improvements located
thereon, utilized by any person or persons for any commercial activity
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 an agent for the lessor,
of any parcel of real estate located in the Township of South Strabane,
or a lessor, or person who acts as an agent for the lessor, of any
improvements on real estate or any building located in the Township.
Any individual, partnership, association, firm, corporation,
or other legal entity.
A person who has the use, either by himself/herself or with
others, of a dwelling unit or a business unit owned by a person other
than himself/herself for a period exceeding 30 days.
Within 30 days of the effective date of this amendment, each
landlord shall submit to the Township Manager a report to be supplied
by the Township Manager which includes the following information:
A.
List of the dwelling units and business units owned by the landlord
located within 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.
Whether said dwelling unit or business unit is inhabited or utilized
by tenants.
E.
Name(s) of the tenant or tenants utilizing the aforementioned dwelling
unit or business unit, if any.
After the effective date of this chapter, each and every landlord
of property within the Township shall report to the Township Manager
on a form to be supplied by the Township Manager any change in the
use or occupancy of any dwelling unit or business unit owned by such
landlord. A landlord of a hotel, boarding house, campground and the
like 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. All reports required by this section shall
be made within 10 days after the landlord has knowledge that such
a unit has a change in occupancy or has become vacant.
The Township Manager shall:
A.
Maintain on file at the Township offices the names of the landlords
owning dwelling units and business units in the Township. Said list
will include the current names of the current tenants of said dwelling
units and business units and will maintain the form as provided to
a landlord when completed and provided to the Township Manager.
B.
Maintain a supply of forms for landlords to use in making reports
to the Township.
C.
Notify the Chief of Police, the Fire Chief, and the Tax Collector
of the address, description of the dwelling unit or business unit
that is vacant, unoccupied and not in use, as well as those occupied
or in use.
Landlords, with the filing of the rental occupancy report, shall
pay a yearly administrative fee of $25 to assist in the administration
and recording of the information provided in said report.
Any person, firm, or corporation who shall violate any provision
of this chapter, upon conviction thereof in an action brought before
a District Justice in the manner provided for the enforcement of summary
offenses, shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $1,000
plus costs. Additionally, upon default of payment of said fines and
costs, said person, firm, or corporation shall be sentenced to a term
of imprisonment not to exceed 90 days, if applicable. Each day that
a violation shall be found shall constitute a separate offense.
