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.
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 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.
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.
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.