Section 20.05.105 Federal HQS minimum fixtures and features of dwellings.

The following standards of the Federal Housing and Urban Development Department (HUD) Housing Quality Standards (HQS) (Fed. 982.401) are hereby adopted. All single family, duplex and multi-family dwelling units must be maintained in accord with the following minimum standards (in the event of a conflict between these standards and the standards of Section 20.05.100, the more restrictive standards will apply):

1. Sanitary facilities.

a. The dwelling unit must include sanitary facilities located in the unit. The sanitary facilities must be in proper operating condition and adequate for personal cleanliness and the disposal of human waste. The sanitary facilities must be usable in privacy.

b. The bathroom must be located in a separate private room and have a flush toilet in proper operating condition.

c. The dwelling unit must have a shower or tub in proper operating condition with hot and cold running water.

d. The facilities must utilize an approved public or private sewage disposal system.

2. Food preparation and refuse disposal

a. The dwelling unit must have suitable space and equipment to store, prepare, and serve foods in a sanitary manner.

b. There must be adequate facilities and services for the sanitary disposal of food wastes and refuse, including approved sanitary facilities for temporary storage.

c. The dwelling unit must have an oven, and a stove or range, and a refrigerator of appropriate size for the tenants. All of the equipment must be in proper operating condition. The equipment may be supplied by either the landlord or the tenant.

d. The dwelling unit must have a kitchen sink in proper operating condition with a sink trap and hot and cold running water. The sink must drain into an approved public or private sewage disposal system.

3. Space and security.

a. The dwelling unit must provide adequate space and security for the tenant.

b. The dwelling unit must have a living room, a kitchen area, and a bathroom.

c. The dwelling unit must have at least one bedroom or living/sleeping room for each two persons.

d. Children of opposite sex, other than very young children, may not be required to occupy the same bedroom or living/sleeping room.

e. Dwelling unit windows that are accessible from the outside, such as basement, first floor, and fire escape windows, must be lockable (such as with sash pins or sash locks and combination windows with latches). Windows that are nailed shut are acceptable only if these windows are not needed for ventilation or as an egress window.

f. The exterior doors of the dwelling unit must be lockable. Exterior doors are doors by which someone can enter or exit the dwelling unit.

4. Thermal environment.

a. The dwelling unit must have and be capable of maintaining a thermal environment healthy for the human body.

b. There must be a safe system for heating the dwelling unit (and a safe cooling system, where present). The system must be in proper operating condition. The system must be able to provide adequate heat (and cooling, if applicable), either directly or indirectly, to each room, in order to assure a healthy living environment.

c. The dwelling unit must not contain unvented room heaters that burn gas, oil, or kerosene. Electric heaters are acceptable.

5. Illumination and electricity.

a. Each room must have adequate natural or artificial illumination to permit normal indoor activities and to support the health and safety of tenants. The dwelling unit must have sufficient electrical sources so tenants can use essential electrical appliances. The electrical fixtures and wiring must ensure safety from fire.

b. There must be at least one window in the living room and in each sleeping room.

c. The kitchen area and the bathroom must have a permanent ceiling or wall light fixture in proper operating condition. The kitchen area must also have at least one electrical outlet in proper operating condition.

d. The living room and each bedroom must have at least two electrical outlets in proper operating condition.

6. Structure and materials.

a. The dwelling unit must be structurally sound. The dwelling unit must not present any threat to the health and safety of the tenants and must protect the tenants from the environment.

b. Ceilings, walls, and floors must not have any serious defects such as severe bulging or leaning, large holes, loose surface materials, severe buckling, missing parts, or other serious damage.

c. The roof must be structurally sound and weathertight.

d. The exterior wall structure and surface must not have any serious defects such as serious leaning, buckling, sagging, large holes, or defects that may result in air infiltration or vermin infestation.

e. The condition and equipment of interior and exterior stairs, halls, porches, walkways, etc., must not present a danger of tripping and falling. For example, broken or missing steps or loose boards are unacceptable.

7. Interior air quality.

a. The dwelling unit must be free of pollutants in the air at levels that threaten the health of the tenants.

b. The dwelling unit must be free from dangerous levels of air pollution from carbon monoxide, sewer gas, fuel gas, dust, and other harmful pollutants.

c. There must be adequate air circulation in the dwelling unit.

d. Bathroom areas must have one openable window or other adequate ventilation.

e. Any room used for sleeping must have at least one window. Such window must be openable for purposes of ventilation.

8. Water supply.

a. The dwelling unit must be served by an approved public or private water supply that is sanitary and free from contamination.

9. Lead-based paint.

a. The dwelling unit must comply with minimum applicable state and federal regulations.

10. Access.

a. The dwelling unit must be able to be used and maintained without unauthorized use of other private properties. The dwelling must provide an alternate means of exit in case of fire (such as fire stairs or egress through windows).

11. Site and neighborhood.

a. The dwelling unit and yard may not contain such defects, natural or manmade, as dangerous walks or steps; instability; flooding; poor drainage; septic tank back-ups or sewage hazards; mudslides; excessive accumulations of trash, garbage, junk, junk motor vehicles, or debris; insect, vermin or rodent infestation; or fire hazards.

12. Sanitary condition.

a. The dwelling unit and its equipment, facilities, and fixtures must be in sanitary condition.

b. The dwelling unit must be free of vermin and rodent infestation.

13. Smoke detectors.

a. Each dwelling unit must have at least one battery-operated or hard-wired smoke detector in proper operating condition on each level of the dwelling unit, including basements, but excepting crawl spaces and unfinished attics. Smoke detectors must be installed in accordance with and meet the requirements of the National Fire Protection Association Standard (NFPA) 74 (or its successor standards). If the dwelling unit is occupied by any hearing-impaired person, smoke detectors must have an alarm system, designed for hearing-impaired persons as specified in NFPA 74 (or its successor standards). (Ord. 2001-0563)