ARTICLE XVI. - ROOMINGHOUSES AND TOURIST HOMES
Part of the Code of Ordinances of East Providence, RI.
The text
Footnotes:
--- (17) --- Cross reference— Housing standards for roominghouses, § 4-266 et seq.
State Law reference— Hotels, G.L. 1956, § 5-14-1; boarding homes, state licenses required, G.L. 1956, § 23-28.13-26.1; boarding homes, regulations, G.L. 1956, § 23-28.13-1 et seq.; roominghouses, G.L. 1956, § 23-28.14-1 et seq.; recreational facilities including tourist homes, G.L. 1956, § 23-21-1 et seq.
Sec. 8-436. - License required.#
No person shall operate or cause to be operated a tourist home or roominghouse or conduct any business involving the letting of rooms for sleeping purposes to transients without first obtaining a license from the city clerk.
(Rev. Ords. 1987, § 8-336)
Sec. 8-437. - License fee; duration.#
The fee for the license required in section 8-436 shall be as provided therefor in section 8-30. Such license shall expire annually on December 1 as provided in section 8-7.
(Rev. Ords. 1987, § 8-337)
Sec. 8-438. - Register.#
Every person operating or causing to be operated a tourist home, roominghouse or conducting any business involving the letting of rooms for sleeping purposes to transients shall keep a register on which he shall record the name and address of each person accommodated and the automobile registration of such person. Such registration book shall be available at all times to the police for inspection.
(Rev. Ords. 1987, § 8-338)
Sec. 8-439. - Right of entry for inspection.#
The building inspection division or any person designated by it for that purpose and the fire marshal are hereby authorized to enter and inspect all licensed roominghouses or dwellings applying for such license.
(Rev. Ords. 1987, § 8-339)
Sec. 8-440. - Bed linen and towels.#
The operator of a roominghouse or rooming unit shall supply clean bed linens and towels at least once a week and prior to the letting of any room unit, unless the occupant supplies such bed linen and towels himself.
(Rev. Ords. 1987, § 8-340)
Sec. 8-441. - Clean and sanitary maintenance.#
The operator shall be responsible for the clean and sanitary maintenance of all walls, floors and ceilings in every rooming unit and other parts of the roominghouse, including the kitchen and the common areas of the roominghouse.
(Rev. Ords. 1987, § 8-341)
Sec. 8-442. - Extermination of rodents, etc.#
The operator shall be responsible for the extermination of rodents, vermin or other pests within every portion of the roominghouse and any portion of the dwelling or structure that is leased or occupied by him, provided that whenever infestation also occurs in any other portion of the dwelling or structure or whenever infestation is caused by failure of the owner to carry out the provisions of this article, extermination shall be the responsibility of the owner.
(Rev. Ords. 1987, § 8-342)
Sec. 8-443. - Flush toilets and lavatory basins.#
Every roominghouse shall be supplied with at least one approved flush toilet and lavatory for every five persons or fraction thereof and one bathtub or shower, and these units must be kept in good working condition. Such sanitary facilities shall be located within the roominghouse so as to be directly accessible to all persons sharing such facilities without entering another unit or dwelling unit and shall be contained within a room or compartment which affords privacy to a person within such room or compartment. No such sanitary facilities shall be located in the cellar.
(Rev. Ords. 1987, § 8-343)
Sec. 8-444. - Hot water.#
All kitchens sinks, lavatory basins and bathtubs or showers shall be supplied with hot water at all times.
(Rev. Ords. 1987, § 8-344)
Sec. 8-445. - Rubbish and garbage disposal.#
(a)
The operator of a roominghouse or rooming unit shall be responsible for the supply, maintenance, cleanliness and removal of adequate separate rubbish and garbage storage containers approved as to type and location.
(b)
The occupant of a roominghouse or rooming unit shall be responsible for placing rubbish and garbage in required containers in a clean and sanitary manner.
(Rev. Ords. 1987, § 8-345)
Sec. 8-446. - Shades, etc.#
The operator shall supply every window of every habitable room, bathroom and toilet room or compartment with shades or other devices or materials which will afford privacy to occupant.
(Rev. Ords. 1987, § 8-346)
Sec. 8-447. - Maintenance of plumbing and other equipment.#
The operator shall be responsible for the exercise of proper care and cleanliness in the use and operation of all plumbing fixtures, sanitary facilities, appliances and other equipment. The owner of the above plumbing fixtures and equipment shall be responsible for the maintenance thereof.
(Rev. Ords. 1987, § 8-347)
Sec. 8-448. - Inspection of dwelling.#
(a)
The building inspection division and fire marshal are hereby authorized and directed to make inspections to protect the health, safety and welfare of the general public.
(b)
The building inspection division and fire marshal are hereby authorized and directed to make yearly inspections of roominghouses or dwellings applying for license renewal within the three-month period prior to effective license renewal date of December 1 of each year.
(1)
It shall be the responsibility of the property owner or his designated agent to arrange for inspections by the building inspector, minimum property inspector and the fire marshal.
(2)
It shall be the responsibility of the property owner to pay any fees incurred as a result of these inspections.
(3)
It shall be the responsibility of the property owner to present documentation of approved inspections from building inspector, minimum property inspector and fire marshal upon application for license or license renewal.
(Rev. Ords. 1987, § 8-348)
Sec. 8-449. - Notice of violation.#
Whenever the building inspection division determines that there are reasonable grounds to believe there is a violation, he shall give notice of such alleged violation to persons responsible. Such notice shall be in writing, shall specify the alleged violation and a reasonable time to correct it and shall be served upon the owner, operator or occupant by registered mail, return receipt.
(Rev. Ords. 1987, § 8-349)
Sec. 8-450. - Approval required for continued occupancy after condemnation.#
No dwelling, dwelling unit, roominghouse or rooming unit which has been condemned as unfit for continued occupancy shall again be used for habitation until written approval is secured from the building inspection division.
(Rev. Ords. 1987, § 8-350)
Sec. 8-451. - When directed to make repairs.#
Whenever a compliance order to repair, alter or secure a dwelling found by the building inspection division to be unfit for human habitation and continued occupancy has not been complied with, the building inspection division may, on order of the city council and at the expense of the person responsible for alleviating the violation, alleviate the violation if the cost of such action is reasonably related to the value of the dwelling. For the purposes of this section any repair, alteration or securing that is determined by the building inspection division to cost 50 percent or less of the assessed valuation of the dwelling shall be deemed to be reasonable. The power of the city council to repair or alter shall be limited to the alleviation of conditions which affect occupied dwellings or dwelling units.
(Rev. Ords. 1987, § 8-351)
Sec. 8-452. - Demolition of dwelling at owner's expense.#
Whenever a compliance order issued pursuant to the provisions of this article and providing for the demolition of a dwelling has not been complied with and the cost of repair has been determined by the city council to be more than 50 percent of the assessed valuation of the dwelling, the building inspection division may, on order of the city council, demolish the dwelling at the expense of the owner.
(Rev. Ords. 1987, § 8-352)
Sec. 8-453. - Liens and charges to recover expenses.#
Whenever the owner fails to comply with an order to repair, alter, improve or demolish a dwelling which has been determined to be unfit for human habitation and continued occupancy and the building inspection division has taken direct action pursuant to the provisions of this article, the costs incurred by him in such action shall be a lien against the real property and shall be enforced in the manner provided or authorized by law for the enforcement of common law liens on personal property. Such lien shall be recorded. If the dwelling is demolished by the building inspection division, they may sell the materials of such dwelling and the net cost of the demolition shall be charged to the owner, and if any balance remains, it shall be held for the owner or any other parties entitled thereto. In every case, the cost of direct action shall be the costs necessary to perform the required work as expeditiously as possible together with a ten percent service charge in addition thereto.
(Rev. Ords. 1987, § 8-353)
Sec. 8-454. - Relocation of occupants.#
Notwithstanding the other provisions of this article, no dwelling shall be vacated or demolished by the building inspection division under order of the city council until the persons occupying the dwelling at the time the compliance order is issued have been offered housing accommodations in a decent, safe and sanitary dwelling which meets the requirements of this article.
(Rev. Ords. 1987, § 8-354)