The purpose of this Article is to provide basic and uniform
administration of and compliance with applicable housing standards
and to establish the responsibilities of parties concerned therewith.
This Article shall apply to administration of and compliance with
applicable housing standards and shall not apply to premises which
are not within the scope of applicable housing standards.
A.
Establishment.
(1)
There is hereby established or designated an agency to administer
and secure compliance with the applicable housing standards. Such
agency is hereinafter referred to as the "Village Board."
(2)
The Village Board shall have as its representatives such assistants
and inspectors as may be necessary to carry out effectively the Code
of Housing Standards.
(3)
All personnel of the Village Board shall be qualified and appointed
as prescribed by local law and shall be furnished with appropriate
official badges or identification cards.
(4)
All personnel of the Village Board shall be free from personal liability
for acts done in good faith in the performance of their official duties.
B.
Powers and duties.
(1)
The Village Board shall be charged with the duty of administering
the applicable housing standards and securing compliance therewith
and shall be empowered to adopt rules and regulations necessary for
securing such compliance and for its own organization and internal
management, provided that such rules and regulations shall not be
in conflict with the applicable housing standards.
(2)
The Village Board shall be authorized to conduct surveys of housing
in any area of the village to determine the condition of premises,
extent of deterioration, lack of facilities, inadequate maintenance,
unsafe and insanitary conditions, extent of overcrowding, land use
and other relevant factors.
(3)
It shall be the duty of the Village Board to:
(a)
Cause an investigation of all complaints of alleged housing
violations or other unsafe or insanitary conditions.
(b)
Order in writing the remedying of all conditions found to exist
in or on any premises in violation of provisions of the housing standards
or of rules and regulations adopted by the Village Board, to state
in the violation order a reasonable time limit for compliance therewith
and, where necessary, to order the vacation of premises found unfit
for human habitation.
(c)
Request the chief legal officer of the municipality to take
appropriate legal action in the name of the Village Board upon failure
of the responsible party to comply with such violation order within
the time specified therein.
(d)
Cause a search of the Village Board's records of housing
violations existing on any premises and to issue a certified statement
thereof upon receipt of written request and payment of any fees required
by local law or ordinance.
(e)
Study housing conditions in the municipality.
(f)
Cooperate with other municipal, governmental and private agencies
engaged in the study and improvement of housing conditions.
(4)
Where violations of the housing standards exist and pose an immediate
hazard or danger to the health, safety or welfare of building occupants
or of the public, the Village Board may issue an order citing the
violation and directing such action by such municipal agency as is
necessary to remove or abate the immediate hazard or danger.
A.
Inspectors shall be authorized and shall have the right in the performance
of their duties, if so ordered by the Village Board, to enter any
premises during normal business hours and in emergencies whenever
necessary to protect the public interest.
B.
Owners, agents, operators and occupants shall be responsible for
providing access to all parts of the premises within their control
to authorized personnel acting in the performance of their duties.
The Village Board shall keep records of all complaints received,
inspections made and violations found regarding premises regulated
by the housing standards. Records shall be kept in a manner and form
as prescribed by local law and shall be available for public inspection.
Any person committing an offense against any provision of this
chapter shall be guilty of a violation punishable by a fine not exceeding
$250 or by imprisonment for a term not exceeding 15 days, or by both
such fine and imprisonment. The continuation of an offense against
the provisions of this chapter shall constitute, for each day the
offense is continued, a separate and distinct offense hereunder.
A.
Responsibilities of owner.
(1)
Owners of premises shall be responsible for compliance with the housing
standards and shall remain responsible therefor regardless of the
fact that this chapter may also place certain responsibilities on
operators and occupants and regardless of any agreements between owners
and operators or occupants as to which party shall assume such responsibility.
(2)
Owners of premises shall be responsible for proper maintenance, condition
and operation of service facilities and for furnishing adequate heat
and hot water supply in multiple dwellings.
B.
Responsibilities of lodging house operators. Lodging house operators
shall be responsible for compliance with the housing standards in
regard to the following:
(1)
Limiting occupancy to the maximum permitted by the housing standards.
(2)
Maintenance of safe and sanitary conditions in all parts of lodging
house premises.
(3)
Maintenance and operation of all required service facilities.
(4)
Maintenance of all plumbing, cooking and refrigeration fixtures and
appliances within his control as well as other building equipment
and facilities in an operative, clean and sanitary condition.
(5)
Sanitary maintenance of walls, floors and ceilings.
(6)
Keeping exits clear and unencumbered.
(7)
Disposal of building garbage and refuse in a clean and sanitary manner.
(8)
Extermination of insects, rodents or other pests on the premises.
(9)
Hanging and removing required screens.
C.
Responsibilities of occupants. An occupant of a dwelling unit shall
be responsible for compliance with the housing standards in regard
to the following:
(1)
Limiting occupancy of that part of the premises which he occupies
or controls to the maximum permitted by the housing standards.
(2)
Maintenance of that part of the premises which he occupies or controls
in a clean, sanitary and safe condition.
(3)
Maintenance of all plumbing, cooking and refrigeration fixtures and
appliances, as well as other building equipment and storage facilities
in that part of the premises which he occupies or controls, in a clean
and sanitary condition and providing reasonable care in the operation
and use thereof.
(4)
Keeping exits from his dwelling unit clear and unencumbered.
(5)
Disposal of garbage and refuse into provided facilities in a clean
and sanitary manner.
(6)
Extermination of insects, rodents or other pests within his dwelling
unit if his unit is the only one infested in the premises.
(7)
Hanging and removing required screens.
(8)
Keeping his domestic animals and pets in an appropriate manner and
under control.
