Bill No. 20-23 Ordinance Amending Chapter 6 & Replacing Article 14 Titled Rental Safety Verification Program

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incorporated into this Article 14 by reference and without formal citation. This program authorizes the inspection of rental units that are intended to be occupied or are occupied by anyone other than the owner. A copy of the RSVP Inspection Standards will be available for inspection in the Department 's Neighborhoods Office. After the rental unit has passed Inspection and is compliant with the provisions of this Article an Inspection Certificate shall be issued by the Department. (b) The purpose of the Inspection, Inspection Report, and Inspection Certificate issued to the owner is to verify that the rental unit is safe and habitable for occupancy with respect to: electrical supply and electrical systems ; plumbing and plumbing supply; water supply, including hot water; heating, ventilation , and air conditioning equipment and systems ; bathroom and toilet facilities ; doors , windows, stairways, and hallways ; functioning smoke detectors; and the structure in which a rental unit is located. (c) This Article shall be liberally construed and applied to promote its purpose and intent. Sec. 6-80. Definitions. (a) Authorized individual means someone authorized or designated by the owner to provide access to a rental unit. (b) Certification Period means the period between the issuance and expiration of an Inspection Certificate as may be determined under the provisions of this Article. (c) City means the City of South Bend, Indiana. (d) Condemn or condemned means to adjudge unfit for occupancy or use. ( e) Contract of Sale means land contract sales or purchases. (f) Department means the City of South Bend Department of Community Investment or its designee. (g) Dw elling unit means a single unit providing complete, independent living facilities for one or more persons, including permanent provisions for living , sleeping, eating, cooking and sanitation. (h) Egress means a place or means of going out or exiting. (i) Habitable space means the space in a structure for living, sleeping, eating or cooking. Bathrooms, toilet rooms, closets, halls , storage or utility spaces, attics and basements and similar areas are not considered habitable spaces. Finished basements are not considered habitable spaces unless proper egress requirements are met. U) Housing Cooperatives or housing co-ops means a type of residential housing whereby a corporation owns the housing structure with individual units for living and to occupy a unit a person must buy shares or a membership of the corporation. (k) Imm ediat e family memb er mean s an individual that is related to a person as follows , parent; sibling; child by blood, adoption , or marriage ; spouse ; grandparent or grandchild. (l) Indiana Un safe Building Law means Indiana Code, Title 36, Article 7, Chapter 9, as it may be amended from time to time .