[Adopted 2-20-1991 by Ord. No. 988-91; amended in its entirety 5-9-2024 by Ord. No. 10-2024]
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
BOROUGH
The Borough of Atlantic Highlands, County of Monmouth, State of New Jersey.
CERTIFICATE OF INSPECTION
A certificate issued by the Inspector certifying that a property is fit for human habitation and is in compliance with all applicable federal and state laws and ordinances of the Borough.
FAMILY
Any number of individuals related by blood, marriage or adoption, and their domestic employees, living together as a single housekeeping unit and sharing rooms and other housekeeping facilities in common.
HOTEL
A building containing one or more rooms used, rented or hired out on a transient basis to be occupied for sleeping purposes only, and not containing individual eating and cooking facilities.
INSPECTOR
The person designated by the Borough of Atlantic Highlands to inspect and issue certificates of inspection.
MOTEL
A building containing one or more rooms with individual entrances, used, rented or hired out on a transient basis to be occupied for sleeping purposes only and not containing individual eating and cooking facilities.
TRANSFER OF TITLE
The legal transfer of ownership of property from one person or entity to another person or entity.
No person, firm, partnership, association, corporation or the like shall rent, lease or suffer or allow any person or persons except members of the family to live in or occupy, as a tenant, any room, dwelling, apartment, house trailer, mobile home or the like, except if the same is part of a motel or hotel and provided that unless a certificate of inspection is obtained from the Inspector after an inspection thereof certifying that said room, dwelling, apartment, house trailer, mobile home or the like is fit for human habitation and is in compliance with all applicable federal and state laws and ordinances of the Borough.
No person, firm, partnership, association, corporation or the like shall rent, lease or suffer or allow any person or persons to occupy a commercial property within the Borough unless a certificate of inspection is obtained from the Inspector after an inspection thereof certifying that said commercial property is fit for human habitation and is in compliance with all applicable federal and state laws and ordinances of the Borough.
Upon transfer of title to property in the Borough, no person shall occupy, rent, lease or suffer or allow any person or persons to live in or occupy said property unless a certificate of inspection is obtained from the Inspector after an inspection thereof certifying that said property is fit for human habitation and is in compliance will all applicable federal and state laws and ordinances of the Borough.
Applications for certificates of inspection shall be made in writing to the Inspector and shall state:
A. 
The name, address and principal place of business of the owner.
B. 
Such description of the room, dwelling, apartment or the like, by street number or otherwise, as will enable the Inspector easily to locate the same.
C. 
The name and address of the principal place of business of the agent, person, association or corporation, if any, appointed by said owner for the management of the same.
The owner shall, not more than 30 days prior nor less than 10 days after a tenant removes from and vacates a room, dwelling, apartment or the like, file with the office of Code Enforcement a statement containing the address of the premises and the number or other specific description of the place vacated.
No such vacated room, dwelling, apartment or the like shall be rented or occupied in whole or in part by any new tenant until an inspection has been made by the Inspector to determine whether such room, dwelling, apartment or the like is in violation of any applicable federal or state law or ordinance of the said Borough. If no such violation exists, the Inspector shall issue a certificate of inspection; otherwise, he or she shall notify the owner in writing setting forth the specific violations existing.
An inspection pursuant to § 128-7 shall be made, and either a certificate of inspection or a notice of violation shall be issued, as aforesaid within five business days from the date of application. If said inspection is not accomplished in said five-day period, the room, dwelling, apartment or the like may be occupied by the new tenant but subject to the right of the Borough to cause said room, dwelling, apartment or the like to be inspected and, if a violation is found, to cause said premises to be vacated within 10 days from the date of notice thereof.
Any person, firm, partnership, association, corporation or the like who shall violate any provision of this article shall be subject to a fine of not less than $100 nor more than such penalty as provided in Chapter 1, Article II, General Penalty. Each day shall be considered a separate violation.