As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
DWELLING UNIT
A building or entirely self-contained portion thereof containing
complete living, sleeping, cooking and eating facilities.
[Added 4-23-2007 by L.L. No. 4-2007]
GUEST
A person who shares a dwelling unit in a nonpermanent status for
not more than 90 days in any one calendar year period.
[Added 4-23-2007 by L.L. No. 4-2007]
RENT
A return in money, property or other valuable consideration (including
payment in kind or for services or other thing of value) for use and occupancy
or the right to use and occupancy of a dwelling unit, whether or not a legal
relationship of landlord and tenant exists between the owner and the occupant
or occupants thereof.
[Added 4-23-2007 by L.L. No. 4-2007]
RENTED RESIDENTIAL APARTMENT UNIT
A residential building or part thereof which contains one or more
dwelling units and in which space is occupied or intended to be occupied by
one or more persons who is not the owner or who is not the husband or wife,
son or daughter, mother or father or sister or brother of the owner. Expressly
excluded from this definition are hotels, motels, rooming and boarding houses
if covered by any other village, town, county or state laws, rules, regulations
or ordinances. Also expressly excluded are single boarders, foster children
or guests living with the owner of said property.
[Amended 4-23-2007 by L.L. No. 4-2007]
RRAU
Rented residential apartment units.
[Amended 4-23-2007 by L.L. No. 4-2007]
A. Certificate required. The owner of a property containing an RRAU
must, before allowing occupancy, apply to the Building Inspector, Housing
Inspector and/or their assistant(s) for a certificate of rental safety.
B. Petition for relief from certificate of rental safety requirement.
Any property owner within the Village may submit a petition to the Village
Board requesting relief from the requirement to gain a certificate of rental
safety before allowing occupancy of an RRAU. Such petition shall be subject
to approval by the Village Board, and no occupancy shall be allowed without
a certificate of rental safety unless approval of the Village Board has been
previously obtained.
(1) The Village Board in making a determination to grant relief to
a property owner may consider, in reaching a decision on such request, any
item that the Village Board deems appropriate, including, but not limited
to, the following: whether the occupant is a guest; whether the occupancy
will be temporary in nature; persons acting as property managers for owners
residing temporarily at seasonal homes; and housing of exchange students.
The Village Board may also consider such other terms and conditions as the
Village Board deems appropriate.
(2) Any approval granted by the Village Board shall be deemed an
agreement by the property owner to refrain from accepting rent from the occupant
in consideration for his or her occupancy.
(3) In the event that approval of the Village Board is granted, the property owner shall be responsible for complying with all regulations set forth under Chapter
171, Property Maintenance, and all other sections of the Village Code pertaining to residential property maintenance.
It is the express intent of this chapter to require owners of property
containing RRAU to have a certificate of rental safety which shall be renewed
every 12 months.
This chapter shall cover all property and buildings in which one or
more units are located.
Application in triplicate for certificates of rental safety shall be
supplied to the owner or his agent of any RRAU by the Building Inspector and/or
his assistant and shall, among other pertinent information, contain the name
of the owner, location of the unit, number of units available and the number
of rooms in each apartment.
A certificate of rental safety issued by the Building Inspector shall
state that, as of the date of inspection, the RRAU and the building housing
the same are not in violation of any state or local codes, ordinances and/or
local laws applicable to RRAU and buildings. In addition thereto, each certificate
of rental safety shall state the name of the owner, address of the premises,
identity of the unit by number or other suitable means and shall state the
number of people permitted to occupy said unit, which number shall be arrived
at by applying the provisions of the housing or building code.
The owner, his agent and/or representative shall be in violation of
the provisions of this chapter if he shall lease, sublet or otherwise rent
or occupy an RRAU without obtaining a certificate of rental safety. Once such
certificate shall be issued, it shall be valid for a twelve-month period.
[Amended 10-16-2000 by L.L. No. 5-2000]
Every person convicted of a violation of any of the provisions of this
chapter shall, for the first conviction thereof, be punished by a fine of
not less than $250 and not more than $5,000; for a second or subsequent conviction
within 12 months after any previous conviction, such person shall be punished
by a fine of not less than $500 and not more than $10,000 or by imprisonment
for not more than 15 days, or by both such fine and imprisonment. Each day
of continued violation shall constitute a separate additional violation.
The certificate of rental safety issued for any unit, or a copy thereof,
shall be posted conspicuously at all times.
[Amended 9-19-1985; 5-15-1995
by L.L. No. 4-1995; 6-3-2002 by L.L.
No. 4-2002]
The Village Board of Trustees of the Village of Ellenville is hereby authorized to adopt a resolution or by resolutions a schedule or schedules of reasonable and uniform fees that are required to be paid for rental safety certificates, inspections or any other associated fees that are now required or provided by Chapter
181 of the Code of the Village of Ellenville or that may hereafter be required or provided for. Such resolution or resolutions shall be adopted at a regular meeting of the Village Board of Trustees, and the fees so established may be revised or amended from time to time by a resolution or resolutions adopted at a regular meeting of the Village Board of Trustees. Said sum shall be paid on application thereof and shall be deposited in the general fund of the Village of Ellenville, New York.