[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Harrisburg
by Ord. No. 7-1989. Amendments noted where applicable.]
See Chapter 1-302, Glossary of Terms.
No person, firm, association, corporation or other entity who
operates a rooming house or boardinghouse shall occupy or let to another
for occupancy any space in any rooming house or boardinghouse unless
a permit for such use has been issued by a City official designated
by the Mayor to issue such permits.
A.
Application for permits shall be made to the Codes Administrator
on forms furnished by such official. The application shall include:
[Ord. No. 14-1994]
(1)
The name and address of the owner and the operator, if the person
is not the owner;
(2)
The location of the rooming house/boardinghouse by street and
number;
(3)
The number of rooming/boarding units and beds available for
occupancy and the number of persons who may be accommodated in accordance
with the provisions of the applicable City code; and
(4)
Such other information as the rules and regulations of the Department
of Building and Housing Development or any other department, bureau
or division of the City may require.
B.
The application for renewal shall be filed on or before January 1
of each year.
The Codes Administrator or designee shall issue a permit upon
reasonable proof that:
A.
The rooming house or boardinghouse complies with the applicable Property
Maintenance and Electrical Codes of the City[1] and any rules, regulations or ordinances of the City which
might be applicable thereto.
[Amended 4-9-2013 by Ord. No. 3-2013]
B.
Such rooming house or boardinghouse possesses a use permit for such
purposes under Title 7, Part 3, Zoning Code, of these Codified Ordinances,
as amended, and meets the standards of any applicable statutes of
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
C.
The rooming house or boardinghouse owner or operator possesses a
current mercantile license from the City.
If the Codes Administrator refuses to issue a permit, the applicant shall be promptly notified in writing and have the right to request a hearing before the Building and Housing Code Board of Appeals in accordance with § 8-501.2.
A.
The initial fee for a permit shall be $75 plus $20 for each bed available
for roomers or boarders within each rooming or boarding unit within
the rooming house or boardinghouse. Additionally, a permit holder
under this chapter must apply for and procure a health permit, at
a minimum fee of $150. If the rooming house or boardinghouse is 10,000
square feet or more, the fee for the health permit shall be as set
forth in Appendix, Chapter 6.
[Amended 6-11-2013 by Ord. No.
8-2013]
B.
No reduction shall be made for fractional yearly permits, and such
permits shall be renewed annually at the beginning of each successive
calendar year at the same rate as herein established for the initial
permit fee.
The permit shall be posted in a conspicuous place in the office
or public hall of the rooming house or boardinghouse. No transfer
of a permit shall be made, and new owners and operators shall notify
the Codes Administrator within 12 days of any transfer of ownership
of any rooming house or boardinghouse.
A.
B.
Portable heating devices shall not be permitted in a rooming house/boardinghouse.
In all rooming houses or boardinghouses, an early fire detection
device (smoke detector) shall be installed in the cellar or basement(s)
and in every common hall adjacent to sleeping areas and shall be interconnected
or wired in series, that is, shall be wired directly to the building's
power supply, and shall each sound an alarm when one is activated,
and one battery-operated detector shall be installed in each sleeping
space.
Any person who violates the provisions of this chapter shall be subject to the general code penalty, § 1-301.99 of these Codified Ordinances.
