Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 367.01 General Enforcement
§ 367.01 General Enforcement
This Housing Code shall be enforced by the Commissioner of Housing.
(Ord. No. 2409-59. Passed 4-4-60, eff. 4-6-60)
ENFORCEMENT AND PENALTY
Codified Ordinances of Cleveland pt. THREE, pt. IIIC, tit. IX, ch. 367
in effectCodified Ordinances of Cleveland § 367.02 Inspections
§ 367.02 Inspections
The Commissioner of Housing is hereby authorized to make or cause to be made inspections of all structures or premises used for dwelling purposes to determine whether such structures or premises conform to the provisions of this Housing Code, and to the provisions of the Zoning Code.
(Ord. No. 2409-59. Passed 4-4-60, eff. 4-6-60)
Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 367.03 Right of Entry
§ 367.03 Right of Entry
(a) Upon presentation of proper credentials, the Director of Building and Housing and his or her duly authorized agents or inspectors; the Director of Public Health and his or her duly authorized agents or inspectors; or the Fire Chief or his or her duly authorized agents or inspectors may enter at reasonable times, or at such other times as may be necessary in an emergency, any dwelling, building, structure or premises in the City to perform any duty imposed on him or her by this Housing Code, the Fire Code, or the Health Code.
(b) The Director of Building and Housing or Fire Chief or Director of Public Health, or their representatives, when seeking to gain entry to a dwelling, building or structure, shall consider, before seeking a search warrant, the advisability of first seeking the consent of the occupants where a dwelling, building or structure is occupied, or first seeking the consent of the owner or person in control of the property where a dwelling, building or structure is not occupied, with the Directors and Fire Chief presuming that, in most circumstances, it is advisable to make a good faith effort to seek the consent of occupants of a dwelling, building or structure or the consent of the owner or person in control of a dwelling, building or structure that is not occupied. The Directors or Fire Chief may, as part of that good faith effort, knock and request the right to enter, and, if there is no answer, may leave a written notice indicating that consent is being sought.
(c) The Directors and Fire Chief may, in the case of a dwelling, building, or structure that is not occupied, seek the consent of the owner or person in control by attempting to contact the owner by telephone, email, or certified or regular mail. The sources of information used to attempt contact by telephone, email, or certified or regular mail, may include:
(1) Information the owner provided to the City, such as rental registration information or the address used on an appeal or an application; or
(2) Information that a City representative, such as an inspector, has discovered during the performance of his or her duties; or
(3) Information from common and readily available sources such as printed or online directories, utility records, credit bureaus, county property records, board of election records, motor vehicle records, court records or other state, county, municipal or federal records.
(d) The Directors or Fire Chief shall not be required, as part of a good faith effort to seek consent, to use all of these methods and shall not be not required to use any particular one of them; the good faith obligation shall be to use whatever combination of them the Directors or Fire Chief judge to be reasonably likely to be successful, with the Directors or Fire Chief having the discretion to decide when to stop continuing to seek consent when it appears that continued efforts are not reasonably likely to be successful. As part of that consideration, the Directors or Fire Chief may consider the likelihood of obtaining consent when the information examined as part of the good faith effort to seek consent indicates that the owner is deceased, such likelihood depending on factors such as the existence of an executor or administrator of the deceased person’s estate or the existence of a surviving spouse or other potential heir or legatee who has indicated that they are seeking to obtain ownership of the dwelling, building or structure or that they are asserting control over it.
(e) The Director of Building and Housing or Fire Chief or Director of Public Health may seek a search warrant to enter, observe and inspect a dwelling, building, or structure, or to allow their duly authorized agents or inspectors to enter, observe and inspect a dwelling, building or structure. Nothing in this section shall limit, or enlarge, the City’s legal right to seek a search warrant under state and federal law based on probable cause or a valid administrative program supporting requests for administrative search warrants based on the criteria necessary to support such administrative warrants, subject to review by a judge of a court authorized to issue the warrants and to the rights of persons under the Ohio and U.S. Constitutions. Nothing in this section shall limit or enlarge the rights of persons under the Ohio or U.S. Constitutions to be free from searches made without a warrant.
(f) No person shall in any way obstruct, hinder, delay or otherwise interfere with such entrance under this section.
(Ord. No. 1039-2023. Passed 2-5-24, eff. 2-6-24)
Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 367.04 Notice of Violation
§ 367.04 Notice of Violation
(a) Whenever the Director of Building and Housing shall find any dwelling structure or premises, or any part thereof, to be in violation of the provisions of this Housing Code, he or she shall provide to the owner or agent or person in charge of such structure or premises, and the mortgagee of record, a written notice stating the violations therein. Such notice shall order the owner within a stated reasonable time to repair, improve, demolish or effectively board the structure or premises concerned.
(b) A notice of violation under Section 367.04(a) shall be served by one (1) or more of the following methods:
(1) Personal service. The City department issuing the notice may use any method that causes the Notice of Violations to be actually delivered to the responsible party. Actual delivery shall constitute legal service of the Notice of Violations;
(2) Residence service at the owner’s address by leaving a copy of the notice of violation with a person of suitable age and discretion then residing therein;
(3) Certified mail to an address where it is reasonably calculated under the circumstances to reach the owner. When determining such an address, the City shall examine:
A. Information the responsible party provided to the City, such as rental registration information or the address used on an appeal or an application; or
B. Information that a City representative, such as an inspector, has discovered during the performance of their duties; or
C. Information from common and readily available sources such as printed or online directories, credit bureaus, county property records, board of election records, motor vehicle records, court records or other state, county, municipal or federal records.
The City is not required to use all of the sources described in division (b)(3) and is not required to use any one of them; the City must use whatever combination of them is reasonably expected to be successful. The address found can be the property or premises which is the subject of the violation.
(4) Regular mail and posting as follows:
A. Regular mail to the owner at an address found under division (b)(3) above, which may be the address of the property that is the subject of the violation; and
B. Regular mail service to the property address that is the subject of the violation notice if the address is different from the address in division (b)(4)A.; and
C. Posting of the notice of violation in a conspicuous location on the building, premises or real estate or appurtenance thereto that is the subject of the violation notice.
(5) Service by publication electronically or once in a newspaper of general circulation in the City.
(c) Any owner, agent or person in charge of such dwelling structure, mortgagee of record, lessee of record and lien holders of record who have received a notice of violation as provided for in division (a) of this section, or who receive a notice of the City’s intention to demolish or effectively board as provided for in division (c) of Section 367.05, shall inform prospective purchasers, vendees, grantees, assignees, sublessees or land contractees thereof of any such notice of violation or notice of the City’s intention to demolish or effectively board. No owner or agent or person in charge of such dwelling structure, mortgagee of record, lessee of record or lien holders of record shall transfer to a vendee, grantee, assignee, sublessee or land contractee or any other transferee any interest in such dwelling structure after receiving a notice of violation, or notice of the City’s intention to demolish or effectively board without first providing the transferee with a copy of such notice.
(d) Any buyer or grantee, by land contract or otherwise, of a dwelling building or structure, with the exception of those properties required to be registered under Chapter 3106, shall begin at the date of transfer to comply with any notice obtained or to be obtained pursuant to Section 367.12, and within ten (10) days of the date of transfer, shall notify the Director, in writing, of the actions that will be taken to comply. The Director may then establish a reasonable time to comply. If the grantee fails to provide a written plan, or to comply with the notice, within ten days, the grantee shall be in violation of Section 3103.25(e). If the Director considers the written plan to be acceptable, he or she shall notify the grantee and the grantee shall be bound by the written plan as an extension of time under the notice and shall be in violation of Section 3103.25(e) if the violations are not corrected by the time set forth in the written plan. If the Director considers the written plan to be unacceptable, he or she shall issue to the grantee a notice with dates for compliance.
(Ord. No. 1039-2023. Passed 2-5-24, eff. 2-6-24)
Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 367.05 Noncompliance with Notice; Vacation of Premises; Board and Demolition of Premises
§ 367.05 Noncompliance with Notice; Vacation of Premises; Board and Demolition of Premises
(a) No person shall fail to comply with any provision of this Housing Code or fail to comply with any lawful order issued under this Housing Code.
(b) Whenever the owner, agent or person in charge of a dwelling structure or premises fails, neglects or refuses to comply with a notice of the Director of Building and Housing, the Director may issue a notice ordering the structure or premises concerned to be vacated, or he or she may advise the Director of Law of the circumstances and request the Director of Law to institute an appropriate action of law to compel a compliance, or both.
(c) Whenever the owner or agent or person in charge of a dwelling structure or premises fails, neglects or refuses to comply with a notice to vacate issued by the Director, the Director may request the Director of Public Safety to enforce the orders of such notice of vacation and cause the structure to be vacated in accordance with the terms of such notice.
(d) Whenever the Director has made the determination that a dwelling structure or premises constitutes a public nuisance in that the structure or premises is injurious to the public health, safety and welfare, and the owner, agent or person in charge of such structure fails, neglects or refuses to comply with a notice of violation ordering such structure to be demolished or boarded, or the violations corrected, the Director may take necessary action to demolish or effectively board such structure in accordance with the procedure and requirements set forth in Section 3103.09 or take such other action as may be necessary to abate the nuisance. The Director shall give written notice in conformance with the procedures set forth in division (h)(6) of Section 3103.09 for the service of notice of violation informing the owner or agent, mortgagee of record, lessee of record or lien holder of record of the City's intention to demolish or effectively board such structure at least thirty (30) days prior to such intended action by the City.
(Ord. No. 1039-2023. Passed 2-5-24, eff. 2-6-24)
Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 367.06 Cases of Emergency; Immediate Vacation of Premises
§ 367.06 Cases of Emergency; Immediate Vacation of Premises
Whenever, in the opinion of the Commissioner of Building and Housing, the condition of dwelling structure or premises constitutes an immediate hazard to human life or health, he or she shall declare a case of emergency and shall order immediate vacation of the dwelling structure or premises concerned.
He or she may request the Director of Public Safety to enforce the orders he or she gives that are necessary to cause the structure to be vacated in accordance with the terms of the notice. The Director of Public Safety has the authority to enforce such orders.
(Ord. No. 54-94. Passed 6-6-94, eff. 6-15-94)
Note: This section became effective 90 days after passage on September 5, 1994.
Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 367.07 Placards Posted by the Department of Building and Housing and the Division of Fire
§ 367.07 Placards Posted by the Department of Building and Housing and the Division of Fire
(a) Whenever the Director of Building and Housing orders a dwelling structure or premises to be vacated or condemned under these Codified Ordinances, he or she shall cause to be posted at each entrance to the structure or premises a placard which may state. “THIS BUILDING IS IN A DANGEROUS CONDITION AND HAS BEEN CONDEMNED AND ITS USE HAS BEEN PROHIBITED BY THE DIRECTOR OF BUILDING AND HOUSING.”
(b) Whenever the Fire Chief finds a vacant dwelling structure or premises to be declared condemned or it is found to be unsafe under the provisions authority, and procedures of any of these Codified Ordinances he or she may cause to be posted placards on the front of the structure or premises which comply with the following placarding requirements:
(1) Placard Location. Placards shall be applied on the front of the structure and be visible from the street. Additional placards may be applied to the side of each entrance to the structure and on penthouses.
(2) Placard Size and Color. Placards shall be twenty-four (24) inches by twenty-four (24) inches (six hundred ten (610) mm by six hundred ten (610) mm) in size with a red background, white reflective stripes and a white reflective border. The stripes and border shall have a two (2) inch (fifty-one (51) mm) stroke.
(3) Placard Date. Placards shall bear the date of their application to the building and the date of the most recent inspection.
(4) Placard Symbols. The design of the placards shall use symbols designated by the Fire Chief or his or her designee to indicate each of the following:
A. That the structure had normal structural conditions at the time of marking;
B. That the structural or interior hazards exist and interior fire-fighting or rescue operations should be conducted with extreme caution;
C. That structural or interior hazard exist to a degree that consideration should be given to limit fire fighting to exterior operations only, with entry only occurring for known life hazards.
(5) Additional detail may be posted on the placard if determined necessary by the Fire Chief.
(6) Informational Use. The use of these symbols and any additional detail shall be informational only and shall not in any way limit the discretion of the Fire Chief or his or her on-scene Officer in Charge.
(c) No person shall enter or use any structure or premises which have been placarded under this section except for the purpose of making the required repairs or demolishing the structure or premises.
(d) No person shall deface or remove any placard posted under this section until written permission is given by the Director of Building and Housing or the Fire Chief, whoever posted the placard, that the repairs have been completed or demolition is complete or the building is safe.
(Ord. No. 1075-09. Passed 8-5-09, eff. 8-13-09)
Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 367.08 Recovery of Expenses and Costs
§ 367.08 Recovery of Expenses and Costs
(a) Any expenses or costs, including but not limited to attorneys fees, costs of inspection, administrative staff and support staff, property maintenance costs, court costs, title search fees, process server fees, skip tracing expenses, and costs of collection or prosecution, including discovery and deposition expenses, incurred under the provisions for demolition or boarding contained in this Housing Code shall be paid by the owner of the dwelling structure or premises.
(b) Any and all owners of a building or structure, who appear in the chain of title from the time of receipt of a notice of condemnation until demolition of the building or structure, shall be jointly and severally responsible for all costs and expenses incurred relating to the demolition and all costs and expenses of prosecution or collection related thereto.
(c) Whenever an inspection is made after the compliance date stated on a notice of violation of the Housing Code or the Zoning Code or after a compliance date determined by a court of competent jurisdiction for compliance to determine whether the violation has been remedied and the violation has not been remedied, there shall be charged a fee of fifty dollars ($50.00) for each such inspection, except that this fee shall not apply to one (1) family and two (2) family owner-occupied dwelling structures.
(d) If the owner fails to pay for the cost of demolition or boarding or of inspections of violations that have not been remedied within thirty (30) days after the receipt from the Director of Community Development of a statement of the charges and costs incurred therein, then the Director of Community Development may certify the amount to the Commissioner of Assessments and Licenses. The Commissioner shall make written return to the County Auditor of the action, under this Code, with a statement of the charges for their services, the amount paid for the performing of such labor and a proper description of the premises for the purpose of making the same a lien upon such lands, to be collected as other taxes and returned to the City with the General Fund with special accounting thereof in accordance with RC 715.261.
(e) Notwithstanding the method of collection set forth above, the Director of Law, in the Director’s sole discretion, may take any action necessary to collect the costs of demolition or boarding from the owner or other responsible party or parties, including but not limited to filing of legal proceedings, referring the amount due to outside counsel by the Law Director for collection action, including filing civil complaints, and initiating post judgment execution actions.
(Ord. No. 1519-11. Passed 11-14-11, eff. 11-16-11)
Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 367.09 Right of Appeal
§ 367.09 Right of Appeal
The owner, agent or person in charge of any dwelling structure shall have the right to appeal from any notice issued by the Commissioner of Housing, within the time specified in such notice for compliance therewith, and to appear before the Board of Building Standards and Building Appeals or the Board of Zoning Appeals, as the case may require, at a specified time and place to show cause why he or she should not comply with such notice. However, when an appeal is from a notice of revocation of a certificate of occupancy, such appeal shall be filed not more than thirty (30) days from the date of such notice of revocation. Failure to file an appeal within the time prescribed shall constitute a waiver of the right to appeal. Filing of an appeal from any notice of the Commissioner shall suspend action on enforcement of such notice until the appeal is acted upon by the Board of Building Standards and Building Appeals, or, in matters relating to zoning, by the Board of Zoning Appeals.
(Ord. No. 2409-59. Passed 4-4-60, eff. 4-6-60)
Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 367.10 Rules and Regulations
§ 367.10 Rules and Regulations
(a) The Director of Community Development is hereby authorized to adopt such written rules and regulations as may be necessary for the proper interpretations and enforcement of this Code. Such rules and regulations shall not conflict with or waive any provisions of this Housing Code or any other of these Codified Ordinances. Such rules and regulations shall be submitted to the Board of Building Standards and Building Appeals for approval and no such rule or regulation shall be adopted without such approval. Failure of the Board to approve, disapprove or modify such rules and regulations within ninety (90) days after submission shall be deemed to constitute approval thereof.
(b) Such rules and regulations, upon adoption, shall be published in the City Record for two (2) consecutive weeks and shall be in effect on and from fifteen (15) days after the second publication therein. Such rules and regulations shall have the force and effect of this Code and shall continue in effect until revoked by the Director with the approval of the Board or by action of Council.
(Ord. No. 2409-59. Passed 4-4-60, eff. 4-6-60)
Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 367.11 Misrepresentation of Legal Occupancy
§ 367.11 Misrepresentation of Legal Occupancy
No person shall knowingly misrepresent the legal occupancy of a dwelling, building or structure as an inducement for the sale of such property.
(Ord. No. 204-65. Passed 4-18-67, eff. 4-20-67)
Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 367.12 Certificate of Disclosure for Real Property and Notice of Violation; Fee
§ 367.12 Certificate of Disclosure for Real Property and Notice of Violation; Fee
(a) No person, agent, firm or corporation shall sell or transfer real property, or enter into a contract for the sale or transfer of real property without furnishing to the purchaser a Certificate of Disclosure addressing the condition of the property, including its current lead status for real property with rental units, which Certificate shall be in a form prescribed by the Director of Building and Housing. The Certificate of Disclosure shall include all active Notices of Violation associated with the property. No transfer shall be completed without the furnishing of the Certificate of Disclosure. If the purchaser or transferee is not provided with the Certificate required by this section, the purchaser or transferee may rescind any agreement for purchase, and, if the transfer has been completed, shall have the right to demand that the transferor accept a transfer of the interest conveyed in the property and may file in any court with jurisdiction to specifically enforce that right.
(b) A request for a Certificate of Disclosure shall be accompanied by a nonrefundable fee of sixty dollars ($60.00).
(c) The requirements of division (a) and (b) of this Section 367.12 shall not apply when the real property at subject is a vacant lot, defined as a parcel that does not contain any permanent lawful occupied structure; or when both parties to the sale or transfer or contract for sale or transfer are Governmental Entities.
(Ord. No. 1039-2023. Passed 2-5-24, eff. 2-6-24)
Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 367.13 Disbursal of Funds from Escrow Agent
§ 367.13 Disbursal of Funds from Escrow Agent
No person, firm or corporation acting in the capacity of an escrow agent in any real estate transaction involving the sale of a dwelling building or structure situated in the City shall disburse any funds unless the provisions of Section 367.12 have been met.
(Ord. No. 1864-01. Passed 10-20-03, eff. 10-22-03)
Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 367.14 Other Legal Action
§ 367.14 Other Legal Action
The imposition of any penalty shall not preclude the Director of Law from instituting an appropriate action or proceeding in a court of proper jurisdiction to prevent an unlawful repair or maintenance, or to restrain, correct or abate a violation, or to prevent the occupancy of a building, structure or premises, or to require compliance with the provisions of this Housing Code or other applicable laws, ordinances, rules or regulations, or the orders or determinations of the Commissioner of Housing or the Board of Building Standards and Building Appeals.
(Ord. No. 2409-59. Passed 4-4-60, eff. 4-6-60)
Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 367.15 Fees For Record Search and Document Preparation
§ 367.15 Fees For Record Search and Document Preparation
A request for a statement from the Division based on its records, which statement is not specified in any other section, must be in writing and accompanied by a fee of twenty dollars ($20.00).
(Ord. No. 2393-02. Passed 2-3-03, eff. 2-3-03)
Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 367.99 Penalty
§ 367.99 Penalty
(a) Whoever violates any provision of this Housing Code for which no other penalty is provided or any rule or regulation promulgated thereunder or fails to comply with this Housing Code or with any order issued shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree. Each day of a continuing violation shall be deemed a separate offense.
Whoever causes or permits the continuation of any violation of this Housing Code or any rule or regulation promulgated hereunder or fails to comply with this Housing Code or with any written notice or written order issued hereunder, subsequent to conviction therefor shall be liable for further prosecution, conviction and punishment upon the same order or notice without the necessity of issuing a new order or notice, until full compliance has been had on such order or notice upon which the original conviction was made.
(b) Whoever violates Section 367.11 shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(c) Whoever violates Section 367.12 or 367.13 shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(d) Whoever violates Section 365.02, 365.04 or 371.01 shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree. Each day of a continuing violation shall be deemed a separate offense.
(e) Whoever violates Sections 369.13, 369.14, 369.15, 369.16, 369.17, 369.18, 369.19, 371.05, 371.07, 371.10 or 371.13, or Section 369.08, as a first offense shall be guilty of a minor misdemeanor. In addition to any other method of enforcement provided for in this chapter, the above listed minor misdemeanors may be enforced by the issuance of a citation in compliance with Rule 4.1 of the Ohio Rules of Criminal Procedure.
Whoever violates Sections 392.02, 392.021, 392.03, 392.04, or 392.05 is subject to the penalty established in Section 392.99 of these Codified Ordinances. In addition to any other means of enforcement provided for in these Codified Ordinances by statute, Sections 392.02, 392.03, 392.04, 392.05 or 392.06 may be enforced by the issuance of a citation in compliance with Rule 4.1 of the Rules of Criminal Procedure, provided that the offense is a minor misdemeanor.
(f) Whoever violates Section 369.08 as a second offense of that section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. Whoever violates Section 369.08 as a third or subsequent offense of that section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(g) A court of competent jurisdiction may require whoever is convicted of or pleads guilty to a violation of this Housing Code to pay to the Department of Building and Housing fees for inspections of violations that have not been remedied, which fees are described in Sections 367.08 and 3105.26, and the expenses or costs incurred under the provisions for demolition or boarding contained in the Housing Code.
(Ord. No. 388-2024. Passed 4-1-24, eff. 4-3-24)
Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 367.111 Definitions
§ 367.111 Definitions
For purposes of Sections 367.12 and 367.13 of these Codified Ordinances, the following definitions apply:
(a) Appraiser. A person who makes an appraisement of property to determine a just and true valuation.
(b) Buyer. A party in a real property transaction who buys or purchases real property or who contracts to buy or purchase real property. Buyer includes the grantee, vendee or purchaser in a real property transaction.
(c) Escrow Agent. A person with whom the seller deposits the deed and other documents or items regarding the sale of real property until specified conditions are met.
(d) Loan Originator. A person who negotiates or arranges a mortgage loan between a person who makes or funds mortgage loans and a buyer; or who issues a commitment for a mortgage loan to a buyer; or who places, assists to place, or finds a mortgage loan for a buyer. A loan originator also includes a person who makes or funds mortgage loans.
(e) Mortgage Broker. As defined in division (G) of RC 1322.01, a person who holds him, her, or itself out as being able to assist a buyer in obtaining a mortgage and charges or receives from either the buyer or lender money or other valuable consideration readily convertible into money for providing this assistance; or a person who solicits financial and mortgage information from the public, provides that information to a mortgage broker and charges or receives from the mortgage broker money or other valuable consideration reality convertible into money for providing the information; or a person engaged in table-funding or warehouse-lending mortgage loans that are first lien mortgage loans.
(f) Real Estate Agent. A person licensed by RC Chapter 4735 to represent another in a real estate transaction.
(g) Seller. A party in a real property transaction who sells, transfers or grants real property or who contracts to sell, transfer or grant real property. Seller includes the grantor, vendor, or transferor in a real property transaction. The seller is the transferring agent if there is no escrow agent involved in the transaction.
(Ord. No. 1864-01. Passed 10-20-03, eff. 10-22-03)
Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 367.131 Prohibiting Corporations from Owning or Transferring Real Property Without Registering with the Ohio Secretary of State
§ 367.131 Prohibiting Corporations from Owning or Transferring Real Property Without Registering with the Ohio Secretary of State
(a) No corporation, partnership, limited-liability company or other business entity, whether domestic or foreign, shall buy, own, sell, or transfer real property in the City of Cleveland without filing articles of incorporation and identifying a statutory agent, filing articles of organization and identifying a statutory agent, or being licensed by the Ohio Secretary of State and identifying a statutory agent in accordance with RC Chapters 1701, 1702, 1703 and 1705.
(b) No officer of a corporation, partnership, limited-liability company or any other business entity shall transact business to buy, own, sell, or transfer real property in the City of Cleveland unless the business entity has filed articles of incorporation and identified a statutory agent, filed articles of organization and identified a statutory agent, or been licensed by the Ohio Secretary of State and identified a statutory agent in accordance with RC Chapters 1701, 1702, 1703 and 1705.
(c) Any corporation, partnership limited-liability company or any other business entity or officer who fails to comply with the requirements of divisions (a) and (b) of this section is in violation of this chapter and shall be charged as an organization or individual with a first degree misdemeanor. Each property bought, owned, sold, or transferred by a business entity that is not in compliance with these requirements is a separate violation.
(Ord. No. 1520-11. Passed 11-14-11, eff. 11-16-11)
Source: City of Cleveland, Ohio, Codified Ordinances and City Charter (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/cleveland/latest/cleveland_oh/0-0-0-46241Fetched: 11/1/2026