2019 -- S 0722

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LC001899

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- HOUSING MAINTENANCE AND OCCUPANCY

CODE

     

     Introduced By: Senators Metts, Goodwin, and Miller

     Date Introduced: March 21, 2019

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 45-24.3-19 of the General Laws in Chapter 45-24.3 entitled

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"Housing Maintenance and Occupancy Code" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     45-24.3-19. Repairs and other corrective action -- Demolition -- Revolving fund.

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     (a) Repairs and other corrective action.

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     (1) Whenever an owner, operator, or agent a responsible party of a dwelling, dwelling

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unit, rooming unit, or structure domicile fails, neglects, or refuses to make repairs or other

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corrective action called for by a notice of violation or second order or notice of violation issued

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pursuant to § 45-24.3-17, the enforcing officer may undertake the repairs or action, when in his or

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her judgment a failure to make them will endanger the public health, safety, or welfare, and the

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cost of the repairs and action will not exceed fifty percent (50%) of the fair market value of the

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structure to be repaired.

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     (2) Notice of the intention to make repairs or take other corrective action shall be served

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upon the owner, operator, or agent responsible party pursuant to § 45-24.3-17.

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     (3) Every owner, operator, or agent responsible party of a dwelling, dwelling unit,

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rooming unit, or structure domicile, who receives notice of the intention of the enforcing officer

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to make repairs or take other corrective action, shall give entry and free access to the agent of the

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enforcing officer or the enforcing officer's agent for the purpose of making repairs.

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     (4) Any owner, operator, agent, or occupant responsible party of a dwelling, dwelling

 

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unit, rooming unit, or structure domicile, who refuses, impedes, interferes with, hinders, or

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obstructs entry by the agent enforcing officer or his or her agent pursuant to a notice of intention

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to make repairs or take other corrective action, is subject to a civil an obstruction of work penalty

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of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) five hundred dollars ($500) for each failure to comply with this

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section act of obstruction.

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     (5) When repairs are made or other corrective action taken at the direction of the

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enforcing officer, cost of the repairs and corrective action constitutes a debt in favor of the

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corporate unit against the owner of the repaired structure. In the event the owner fails, neglects, or

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refuses to pay the corporate unit the amount of this debt, it is recoverable in a civil action against

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the owner or his or her successor, brought in a court of competent jurisdiction by the corporate

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unit which possesses all rights of a private creditor. costs incurred by the enforcing officer in the

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action, as well as any other penalties, costs, or fees incurred under this section, shall be a lien

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against the real property. The lien shall be recorded with the records of land evidence of the

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municipality, and the lien shall incur legal interest from the date of recording. The cost incurred

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by the enforcing officer, plus the interest thereon, in the repairs or other corrective action, shall be

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added to the amount of taxes due on the real estate where the domicile was located. The tax

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collector of the city or town shall have the same powers and shall be subject to the same duties

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with respect to such claim as in the case of the annual taxes upon real estate, and the provisions of

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law relative to the collection of annual taxes, the sale or taking of land for the nonpayment thereof

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and the redemption of land so sold or taken shall apply to such a claim.

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     (b) Designation of unfit dwellings, dwelling units, rooming units, and structures

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domiciles.

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     (1) Any dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming unit, or structure domicile shall be designated

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as unfit for human habitation when any of the following defects or conditions are found, and

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when, in the opinion of the enforcing officer, these defects create a hazard to the health, safety, or

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welfare of the occupants or of the public:

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     (i) The structure is damaged, decayed, dilapidated, unsanitary, unsafe, or vermin-infested.

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     (ii) The structure lacks illumination, ventilation, or required thermal and sanitation

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facilities.

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     (iii) The general condition of location is unsanitary, unsafe, or unhealthful.

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     (2) Whenever any dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming unit, or structure has been designated

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as Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary in subsection (b)(1) of this section, if, in the

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enforcing officer's opinion, the domicile is deemed unfit for human habitation due to defects

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enumerated in subsections (b)(i), (b)(ii) and (b)(iii) of this section, the enforcing officer shall

 

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placard the dwelling, dwelling unit, or rooming unit, or structure domicile, indicating that it is

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unfit for human habitation, and, if occupied, shall order the dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming unit,

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or structure domicile vacated within a reasonable time, that time to be not more than thirty (30)

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calendar days.

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     (3) No dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming unit, or structure domicile, designated as unfit

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for human habitation as set forth in subsection (b)(2) of this section, and which has been

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placarded and vacated, shall be used again for human habitation until the domicile is inspected by

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the enforcing officer or his or her agent and deemed as a safe, sanitary, and fit place for human

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habitation, written approval is secured from the enforcing officer and the placard is removed by

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the enforcing officer.

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     (4) The enforcing officer shall rescind the designation and remove the placard when the

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defect or condition upon which the designation and the placarding was based has been removed

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or eliminated as to cause the dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming unit, or structure domicile to be

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deemed by the enforcing officer as a safe, sanitary, and fit place or unit for human habitation.

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     (5) No person shall deface or remove the placard from any dwelling, dwelling unit,

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rooming unit, or structure domicile which has been designated as unfit for human habitation and

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has been placarded, except as provided in this section. Defacing or removing the placard shall be

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subject to criminal penalties as provided in § 45-24.3-8(b).

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     (6) Any person affected by any decision of the enforcing officer or by any designation of

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unfit for human habitation or placarding of a dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming unit, or structure

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domicile as unfit for human habitation, shall be granted a hearing on the matter before the

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enforcing officer housing board of review under the procedure established in § 45-24.3-21.

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     (7) The enforcing officer may order the owner responsible party of any building, which

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has been in the past and/or is vacant and open, to comply with the following specifications: all

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openings (including doors and windows) from cellar to second floor and all windows above the

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second floor leading to fire escapes, porches, or structural appurtenances, on all floors, must be

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covered from the exterior with three-eighths inch (3/8") thick exterior plywood or one-half inch

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(1/2") notched boards firmly secured and with protective coating. All other windows must be so

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secured by either one-quarter inch (1/4") thick exterior plywood or one-half inch (1/2") notched

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boards.

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     (c) Demolition of dwellings, dwelling units, or rooming units domiciles designated as

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unfit for human habitation. (1) The enforcing officer shall order a dwelling, dwelling unit, or

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rooming unit domicile to be demolished if it has been designated as unfit for human habitation,

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has been placarded, has been vacated, and has not been put into proper repair as to rescind the

 

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designation as unfit for human habitation and to cause the placard to be removed, and is

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determined by the enforcing officer not to warrant repair under this section.

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     (2) The owner responsible party of any dwelling, dwelling unit, or rooming unit domicile,

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ordered demolished, shall be given notice of this order in the manner provided for service of

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notice in § 45-24.3-17, and given a reasonable time, not to exceed ninety (90) days, to demolish

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the structure.

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     (3) Any owner responsible party aggrieved by the notice to demolish may, within ten (10)

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days, seek a reconsideration of the matter in the manner provided, and may seek a formal hearing

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before the housing board of review in the manner provided in § 45-24.3-21.

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     (4) When the owner responsible party fails, neglects, or refuses to demolish an unfit,

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unsafe, or unsanitary dwelling, dwelling unit, or rooming unit domicile within the requisite time,

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the enforcing officer may apply to a court of competent jurisdiction for a demolition order to

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undertake the demolition immediately cause the domicile to be demolished. The court may grant

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the order when no reconsideration or hearing on the matter is pending. The cost of the demolition

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shall create a debt in favor of this corporate unit against the owner, and is recoverable in a civil

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action brought by the corporate unit which possesses all the rights of a private creditor. be a lien

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against the real property. The lien shall be recorded with the records of land evidence of the

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municipality, and the lien shall incur legal interest from the date of recording. The cost incurred

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by the enforcing officer, plus the interest thereon, in the repairs or other corrective action, shall be

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added to the amount of taxes due on the real estate where the domicile was located. The tax

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collector of the city or town shall have the same powers and shall be subject to the same duties

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with respect to such claim as in the case of the annual taxes upon real estate, and the provisions of

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law relative to the collection of annual taxes, the sale or taking of land for the nonpayment thereof

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and the redemption of land so sold or taken shall apply to such a claim.

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     (5) Whenever a dwelling domicile is demolished, whether carried out by the owner

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responsible party or by the enforcing officer, the demolition shall include the filling in of the

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excavation remaining on the property on which the demolished dwelling was located, in a manner

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that eliminates all potential danger to the public health, safety, or welfare arising from the

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excavation.

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     (6) All demolition shall be preceded by an inspection of the premises by the appropriate

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authority as provided for by the laws of this state or any political subdivision thereof.

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     (d) Relocation of occupants. Notwithstanding the other provisions of this section, no

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dwelling shall be vacated or demolished by the enforcing officer once an order to vacate or

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demolish has been issued by the enforcing officer, under the powers granted to him or her by the

 

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provisions of this chapter, until the persons occupying the dwelling at the time the compliance

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order of demolition is issued have been shall be offered housing accommodations by the

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responsible party of the domicile in a decent, safe, and sanitary dwelling which meets the

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requirements of this chapter.

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     (e) Revolving fund. There is created a revolving fund for the purpose of supporting the

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cost of repairs and other corrective action or demolition made by the enforcing officer pursuant to

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this section, and for any other purpose necessary to create safe, sanitary and fit places for human

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habitation, including the formation of a revolving loan fund for property owners to make repairs

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on their property, to be administered by the corporate unit in a manner they deem fit. Into this the

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revolving fund shall be paid:

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     (1) All civil penalties collected for violations of this chapter pursuant to § 45-24.3-18.

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     (2) All license permit fees collected pursuant to this chapter.

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     (3) All judgments monies collected in actions to recover the costs of repair and other

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corrective action and demolition, pursuant to this section.

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     (4) Any other revenues that the corporate unit may from time to time authorize to be paid

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into this fund.

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     (5) All donations and grants designed to promote the purposes of this chapter from public

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or private sources. The enforcing officer is declared to be the authorized agency of the corporate

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unit to apply for and receive all grants, loans, and gifts of funds to promote the purposes of this

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chapter.

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     (6) Any and all monies charged and collected under this section, including monies

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collected on liens placed on real property pursuant to this section and monies collected as

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repayment for loans made from the fund.

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     (f) Rent payments. Notwithstanding any lease or other agreement, if the enforcing officer

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of any corporate unit has ordered the repair, alteration, or improvement of a dwelling domicile in

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that the officer designates the dwelling domicile to be an unfit dwelling for human habitation, as

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provided for in this section, then the obligation of rent to the landlord is suspended and the rent

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paid into the revolving fund as established in subsection (e) by the enforcing officer, to be paid

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thereafter to the landlord or any other party authorized to make repairs (including the enforcing

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officer) to defray the cost of correcting the conditions, and no action shall be maintained by the

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landlord against the tenant for rent or for possession. Sums paid into the revolving fund in excess

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of those necessary to make repairs shall be paid to the landlord on completion. If the tenant fails

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to make payments to the enforcing officer then an action for rent or possession may be

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maintained, subject to defenses that the tenant may have under the lease or agreement.

 

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     (g) Definitions. For the purposes of this section, the following words shall have the

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following meanings:

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     (1) "Domicile" means a dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming unit, building, structure or

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house.

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     (2) "Responsible party" means the owner, operator or agent of a domicile.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- HOUSING MAINTENANCE AND OCCUPANCY

CODE

***

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     This act would place the responsibility on landlords to house tenants if they are evicted

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due to the neglect of the landlords; would give the municipality flexibility with the revolving fund

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account; and would allow the municipality the ability to place a lien in the form of property taxes

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when it takes action against the real property.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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