Borough of Haddon Heights, NJ Article IX Housing [1]

[1] Editor's Note: See also Ch. 261, Housing Standards.

§ 496-78 Heating.

A. Heating of residences. Every owner of a building or buildings occupied as residences by two or more families and where such owner has agreed to supply heat shall provide heat from the first day of October in each year to the first day of May of the succeeding year so that the temperature of the apartment where one or more persons reside shall always be kept at 70° F. or above between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.

B. Heating of business buildings. Every person, whether he be owner, lessor or agent of a building to be used for offices or business purposes, who shall have agreed to supply heat to the tenant, shall provide heat from the first day of October in each year to the first day of May of the succeeding year so that the temperature of said office or place of business shall always be kept at 70° F. or above between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.; provided, however, that this subsection shall not apply to buildings or portions thereof used and occupied for trades, business or occupations where high or low temperatures are essential or unavoidable.

§ 496-79 Janitor service.

The owner, agent or other person in charge of any building, tenement or apartment house occupied by four or more families shall provide adequate and proper janitor service at all times for the purpose of keeping the premises in a sanitary condition.

§ 496-80 Building requirements and maintenance.

All buildings shall conform to the following requirements:

A. Water supply.

(1) No person shall rent, let, lease or allow to be occupied for domestic purposes any building which shall not have a plentiful supply of potable running water on each floor and in each apartment.

(2) No person shall rent, let, lease or allow to be occupied for business purposes any building which shall not have running water available on each floor.

B. Toilet facilities. Every building used in any way for occupation by human beings, whether for business or dwelling purposes, shall be provided with a sufficient number of water closets, washbasins and urinal accommodations in good working order. When the interest of the public health requires additional water closets, washbasins or urinal accommodations in any house, store, apartment, flat or any other building, it shall be lawful for this Board, by notice to the owner, to direct the installation of such additional toilets as it shall deem necessary. There shall be one water closet for each separate family.

C. The basement or cellar of any building shall be so constructed as to be reasonably dry, adequately ventilated and the foundation walls and floor shall be rodent-proof.

D. If a room in a residence building is overcrowded, the Health Officer shall order the number of persons sleeping or living in said room to be so reduced that there shall be not less than 480 cubic feet of air to each person over the age of 12 years and 300 cubic feet of air to each child under 12 years of age occupying such room.

E. No person or persons, firm or corporation shall rent, lease or otherwise permit the occupying of any building as a residence, nor shall any person reside in any building as its owner, which:

(1) Is not adequately and properly ventilated.

(2) Does not have in good working condition plumbing fixtures consisting of a kitchen sink, bathtub or shower, lavatory and indoor flush toilet connected to a potable and adequate water supply.

(3) Does not have facilities for discharge of all household liquid wastes into a public sewerage system or into a private sewerage system approved by this Board.

F. The owner or agent in charge of any building shall maintain in good repair:

(1) The roof and all roof supports.

(2) All gutters and downspouts.

(3) All porches and supports.

(4) All steps, stairs and their supports.

(5) All doors, door framing, window sashes and window framing.

(6) All protective surfaces (paint, wallpaper, etc.) of inside and outside walls.

(7) All structural surfaces (plaster, brick, siding, shingles, etc.) of all inside and outside walls.

(8) All floors of porches, halls and rooms.

(9) All foundations and supports.

(10) All missing brick, mortar, supports, weatherproofing material, structural materials, etc., must be replaced.

(11) All walls, floors, roofs, foundations, etc., that are lifted or out of plumb must be leveled.

(12) All walls and roofs must be maintained so as to prevent rain from entering or dampness of walls.

G. The owner or agent of any building shall keep the yards, porches, rooms, halls, closets, attic and cellar free from the accumulation of filth, ashes, garbage, refuse, junk, paper, old clothes, wood and cans.

H. It shall be the duty and responsibility of the occupant:

(1) To keep his dwelling and the portion of the dwelling and premises over which he has exclusive control in a clean and sanitary condition.

(2) To place all garbage and refuse in approved containers supplied by himself or provided by the owner for such purpose.

(3) To eliminate all vermin infestation in the portion of the dwelling over which he has exclusive control by prompt and proper extermination.

(4) To refrain from willfully or maliciously damaging or permitting any member of his family to damage any part or portion of the dwelling.

(5) To refrain from using any fuel which, by its combustion, may cause smoke and the rapid discoloration of the sidewalks and ceilings of any dwelling.

(6) To maintain in a clean and sanitary condition the plumbing fixtures used by himself or his family. No occupant shall knowingly, willfully or maliciously deposit or permit any member of his household to deposit any material in any fixture which would result in stoppage of or damage to the fixture.

(7) To keep walls, floors and ceilings clean.

(8) To maintain old fences, sheds, lumber or wood piles in such manner as to not harbor or breed rats or other vermin.

I. Vermin. No house, apartment, rooms or buildings shall be let, leased or occupied by human beings which are infested with fleas, roaches, bedbugs, rats or other vermin. The owner, lessor, agent or occupant of any such place, upon notice from this Board, shall immediately proceed to rid said place of said vermin by any reasonable and safe means approved by this Board.

§ 496-81 Stormwater.

Stormwater shall not be permitted to empty into sanitary sewers.

§ 496-82 Sewer connections.

[Amended 5-18-1993 by Ord. No. 929]

A. All owners of property along the line of any sewer constructed for the purpose of carrying off sewage in the streets of this municipality shall connect their houses and other buildings with the sanitary sewer in the street adjoining said property upon notice from this Board to make such connection.

B. The maintenance and repair of all sewage connections from any structure or other premises in this municipality up and to the existing sanitary sewer main line in the street shall be the sole responsibility of the owner of the structure or other premises.

C. All owners of property with waste water drainage lines, such as washers, laundry tubs, toilets, etc., located below existing ground level shall have a check-valve-type device installed.

D. The borough shall have no liability for damages sustained during a sewage backup due wholly or in part to the absence of said device.

§ 496-83 Condemnation of buildings.

A. This Board shall have the right to condemn any building or part thereof as unfit for human habitation whenever conditions detrimental to health exist therein, whether such condemnation be for insanitation, dilapidation or overcrowding of persons or for other reasons detrimental to health.

B. Whenever this Board shall condemn any building or part thereof, a notice thereof, setting forth the grounds for such condemnation, shall be affixed in a conspicuous place on said building and shall command all persons therein to vacate the same within the time specified in said notice, not exceeding 10 days from the date specified. A copy of said notice shall be served upon the occupants of such building and upon the owner, agent or lessor of said premises if any of them can be found in this municipality, and if not residents of this municipality, then a copy of said notice shall be mailed to them or any of them if the address is known. Anyone who shall fail to vacate the premises after condemnation shall be subject to a penalty as provided in § 496-125. Any owner, lessor or agent who shall cause or permit the premises to be rented, let or leased after posting of notice of condemnation shall be subject to a penalty as provided in § 496-125.

[Amended 3-18-1975]

§ 496-84 Regulations for places of public assembly.

The following rules and regulations shall be strictly adhered to in every theater, dance hall, clubhouse or other place of public assembly:

A. Rule 1. There shall be adequate ventilation.

B. Rule 2. In theaters or other places of public assembly having a seating capacity (places where seats either are permanently fastened to the floor or may be provided temporarily for certain occasions and then removed from the floor so that said places may be used for other purposes), water closets, urinals and lavatories shall be provided in the following ratio:

(1) For every 200 seats or less: one water closet and one lavatory for females; two water closets, one lavatory and one urinal for males.

(2) For from 201 to 500 seats: two water closets and two lavatories for females; two water closets, two lavatories and two urinals for males.

(3) For from 501 to 750 seats: three water closets and two lavatories for females; three water closets, two lavatories and three urinals for males.

(4) For from 751 to 1,000 seats: four water closets and three lavatories for females; four water closets, three lavatories and four urinals for males.

(5) For from 1,001 to 1,500 seats: six water closets and five lavatories for females; five water closets, five lavatories and six urinals for males.

In all other places where the maximum capacity cannot be determined by the seating capacity, water closets, urinals and lavatories shall be provided in such number as determined by this Board.

C. Rule 3. All toilet rooms, fixtures and parts thereof shall be kept in a sanitary condition at all times.

D. Rule 4. The floors and baseboards, to a height of 10 inches from the floor, of all toilet rooms in every theater, dance hall, clubhouse or other place of public assembly, shall be of a material impervious to moisture and shall be washed or scrubbed at least once daily. Sidewalls, ceilings and woodwork shall be kept well painted, in good repair and sanitary at all times.

E. Rule 5. Every toilet room shall be lighted either by natural or artificial light so that all portions of the room are completely lighted at all times during occupancy.

F. Rule 6. Every toilet room shall be provided with sufficient ventilating facilities as to ensure at least four complete changes of air per hour. When natural ventilation does not accomplish this result, there shall be provided an auxiliary or power ventilating system.