[Ord. No. 2206, 7/17/2023[1]]
It is the intent and purpose of this Part to adopt a modern property maintenance code, which will prescribe effective standards and minimum requirements for buildings and premises in the Borough of State College. This code is designed to cover every facet of housing and property maintenance in order to ensure that persons in or visiting the Borough are provided with a safe and sanitary environment.
[1]
Editor's Note: This Part repealed former Part E, Property Maintenance, adopted by Ord. No. 2093, 4/3/2017, as amended.
[Ord. No. 2206, 7/17/2023]
The provisions of Ordinances 2093, 2100 and 1370, as amended, and Chapter IV, Part E, and Chapter VI, Part D, of the Codification of Ordinances of the Borough of State College that provide for the adoption of the Centre Region Building Safety and Property Maintenance Code, 2017 Edition, and emergency alarm provisions, respectively, are hereby repealed.
[Ord. No. 2206, 7/17/2023]
It is hereby adopted by the Borough of State College for the purposes set forth in § 4-501 that certain code known as the "Centre Region Rental Housing and Building Safety Code, 2023 Edition," as promulgated by the Centre Region Council of Governments, except such provisions which may be in conflict with the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or the regulations issued by an agency of the commonwealth by virtue of such laws and which provide a more stringent standard and which are required to be observed by the Borough of State College or the provisions of other ordinances of this jurisdiction which are in conflict with the provisions of this Part, regardless of the strictness of the provisions. The provisions of the Centre Region Rental Housing and Building Safety Code, 2023 Edition, as supplemented, are set forth in the copy presently on file in the office of the Borough Manager, and are hereby adopted as fully as if set forth in length herein, and from the date on which this Part shall take effect, the provisions thereof shall be controlling within the limits of the Borough of State College, except as modified by this Part and any subsequent amendments thereto.
[Ord. No. 2206, 7/17/2023; Ord. No. 2211, 11/20/2023[1]; Ord. No. 2235, 3/3/2025; Ord. No. 2238, 7/21/2025]
The following articles and sections of the Centre Region Rental Housing and Building Safety Code/2023, as adopted, are amended, deleted or altered as follows:
a. 
The following sections are deleted:
(1) 
101.6.4 Payments. No owner, agent or other person operating or managing any premises shall accept any rental payment under any written lease on the premises until the owner has given a fully executed copy of the lease to all the parties to the lease.
(2) 
101.6.5.3 Lease requirements. The provisions of section 101.6.5 shall be implied in all leases and made a written term in all leases reduced to writing for any lease executed or renewed after the effective date of this Code.
(3) 
302.11 Trees.
(4) 
315 Vegetative Growth.
(5) 
316 Unlicensed Vehicles.
(6) 
404.8 Congregate cooking facility inspection.
b. 
The following sections are amended:
(1) 
Alter SECTION 202, GENERAL DEFINITIONS, to read:
RESIDENTIAL RENTAL PROPERTY. Any building, or portion thereof which is offered for rent or lease as a living facility for XX or more consecutive days with or without compensation. This definition shall not include mobile homes, hotels, motels, dormitories, tourist homes, and bed-and-breakfast establishments.
Note: for the definition of a residential rental property, XX is defined as the following in the respective Municipality:
1 - Borough of Bellefonte
1 - College Township
1 - Ferguson Township
X - Halfmoon Township
30 - Harrs Township
7 - Patton Township
1 - Borough of State College
(2) 
Alter Subsection 404.3, Minimum ceiling heights, to read:
404.3 Minimum ceiling heights. Habitable spaces, hallways, corridors, laundry areas, bathrooms, toilet rooms and habitable basement areas shall have a clear ceiling height of not less than 7 feet (2134 mm).
Exceptions:
1.
In one- and two-family dwellings, beams or girders spaced not less than 4 feet (1219 mm) on center and projecting not more than 6 inches (152 mm) below the required ceiling height.
2.
Basement rooms in one- and two-family dwellings occupied exclusively for laundry, study or recreation purposes, having a ceiling height of not less than 6 feet 8 inches (2033 mm) with not less than 6 feet 4 inches (1932 mm) of clear height under beams, girders, ducts and similar obstructions.
3.
Rooms occupied exclusively for sleeping, study or similar purposes and having a sloped ceiling over all or part of the room, with a clear ceiling height of at least 7 feet (2134 mm) over not less than one-third of the required minimum floor area. In calculating the floor area of such rooms only those portions of the floor area with a clear ceiling height of 5 feet (1524 mm) or more shall be included.
4.
For buildings or portions of buildings constructed prior to 1950 Habitable spaces, hallways, corridors, laundry areas, bathrooms, toilet rooms and habitable basement areas shall have a clear ceiling height of not less than 6 feet 8 inches (2032 mm) with not less than 6 feet 4 inches (1932 mm) of clear height under beams, girders, ducts and similar obstructions.
404.3.1 Stair headroom. The minimum headroom in all parts of the stairway shall not be less than 6 feet 8 inches (2032 mm) measured vertically from the sloped line adjoining the tread nosing or from the floor surface of the landing or platform on that portion of the stairway.
Exceptions:
1.
Where the nosings of treads at the side of a flight extend under the edge of a floor opening through which the stair passes, the floor opening shall be allowed to project horizontally into the required headroom a maximum of 4-3/4 inches (121 mm).
2.
For buildings or portions of buildings constructed prior to 1950, the minimum headroom in all parts of the stairway shall not be less than 6 feet 4 inches (1932 mm) measured vertically from the sloped line adjoining the tread nosing or from the floor surface of the landing or platform on that portion of the stairway.
(3) 
Alter Subsection 802.1, Permit required, to read:
802.1 Permit required. No person, firm, or corporation shall operate or rent to another, or provide for residential occupancy for XX or more consecutive days with or without compensation, any dwelling unit or rooming unit until a housing permit has been issued by the Code Official.
Tourist homes and bed-and-breakfasts are required to obtain a rental housing permit in accordance with this section prior to occupancy regardless of duration of stay unless originally permitted as a Use Group R1 under the Uniform Construction Code of Pennsylvania or its predecessor codes at the time of construction or change of occupancy. These structures shall obtain a fire safety program license in accordance with Chapter 7 of this code.
Note: for Section 802, XX is defined as the following in the respective Municipality:
1 - Borough of Bellefonte
1 - College Township
1 - Ferguson Township
X - Halfmoon Township
30 - Harris Township
7 - Patton Township.
1 - Borough of State College
Exceptions: When as part of a property sales agreement, the owner of an owner-occupied single-family residential property negotiates a post-settlement agreement to stay in the property after the transfer of ownership to the purchaser, for a maximum of 180 days, the property is not required to have a rental housing permit.
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance provided an effective date of 12-1-2023. However, the effective date of the ordinance shall be stayed as it pertains to any property that is currently licensed as a short-term rental under the State College Borough's Ordinance 2160 (see Ch. X, Part I), and any subsequent amendments to that ordinance, as of December 1, 2023. The enactment of the ordinance for those properties that are licensed as short-term rentals shall begin on the day after the expiration of the short-term rental license that was in effect on December 1, 2023.
[Ord. No. 2206, 7/17/2023]
Any Health Officer of a participating Borough or municipality which has adopted the Centre Region Rental Housing and Building Safety Code/2023, as amended, may enforce the provisions of this code.
[Ord. No. 2206, 7/17/2023]
Nothing in this Part or in the Centre Region Rental Housing and Building Safety Code, 2023 Edition, hereby adopted shall be construed to affect any suit or proceeding impending in any court, or any rights acquired, or liability incurred, or any cause or causes of action acquired or existing, under any act or ordinance hereby repealed, as cited in § 4-502 of this Part, nor shall any just or legal right or remedy of any character be lost, impaired, or affected by this Part.