ROOMING HOUSES

Columbus City Codes tit. 45, ch. 4561

in effect

Columbus City Codes § 4561.01 Compliance required.

4561.01 - Compliance required. No person shall operate a rooming house, or shall occupy or let to another for occupancy any rooming unit in any rooming house, except in compliance with the provisions of every section of this Housing Code except the provisions of Sections 4521.02, 4521.03; 4521.06; 4521.07; 4551.01(b), (g) and (1); and 4551.02(b) and (g). (Ord. 1254-75.)

Columbus City Codes § 4561.02 License required.

4561.02 - License required. No person shall operate a rooming house unless the person holds a valid rooming house license issued by the Division in the name of the operator and for the specific rooming house. The operator shall apply to the Division for such license, which shall be issued on condition that the applicable provisions of this Housing Code and any rules and regulations adopted pursuant thereto are complied with. Every license shall expire at the end of one year following its date of issuance and in subsequent years on the date of expiration unless sooner suspended or revoked. The fee for such license, as prescribed in the fee schedule, and license issuance are subject to C.C. 4561.05 and 4561.051. (Ord. 2672-85; Ord. No. 2019-2021, § 1, 7-26-2021)

Columbus City Codes § 4561.03 Display of license.

4561.03 - Display of license. This license shall be displayed in a conspicuous place within the rooming house at all times. Such license shall not be transferable. (Ord. 356-75.)

Columbus City Codes § 4561.04 Zoning restrictions.

4561.04 - Zoning restrictions. A rooming house license shall be issued only for a dwelling which is in conformance with zoning regulations.

Columbus City Codes § 4561.05 License fees; denial of license.

4561.05 - License fees; denial of license. A rooming house or dwelling units sharing a bathroom shall be assessed an initial license fee and thereafter an annual inspection fee as prescribed in the Fee Schedule if upon inspection the facility complies with this Housing Code. If, upon inspection, it is found that such facility does not meet the necessary requirements of this Housing Code, the operator shall be informed in writing of the deficiencies and a date shall be set for compliance and reinspection. Reinspection shall be assessed the fee prescribed in the Fee Schedule. If the reinspection reveals that the deficiencies have not been corrected, the license shall be cancelled. In such event a new application must be filed and the fee therefor paid. (Ord. 2483-87.)

Columbus City Codes § 4561.06 Hearing on license denial.

4561.06 - Hearing on license denial. Any person whose application for a license to operate a rooming house has been denied for any reason set forth in this chapter may request and shall be granted a hearing on the matter before the Board of Housing Appeals under the procedure provided by Chapter 4509. (Ord. 356-75.)

Columbus City Codes § 4561.07 Inspections; license suspension.

4561.07 - Inspections; license suspension. Whenever upon inspection of any rooming house the code enforcement officer finds that conditions or practices exist which are in violation of any provision of this Housing Code or of any rule or regulation adopted pursuant thereto, the code enforcement officer shall give notice in writing to the operator of such rooming house that unless such conditions or practices are corrected within a reasonable period, to be determined by the code enforcement officer the operator's rooming house license will be suspended. At the end of such period the code enforcement officer shall reinspect such rooming house, and if the code enforcement officer finds that such conditions or practices have not been corrected, he shall give notice in writing to the operator that the latter's license has been suspended. (Ord. 1057-94; Ord. No. 2019-2021, § 1, 7-26-2021)

Columbus City Codes § 4561.08 Hearing on license suspension; effect of suspension.

4561.08 - Hearing on license suspension; effect of suspension. Any person whose license to operate a rooming house has been suspended or who has received notice from the code enforcement officer that the person's license is to be suspended unless existing conditions or practices at the person's rooming house are corrected may request and shall be granted a hearing on the matter before the Board of Housing Appeals under the procedure provided by Chapter 4509. If no petition for a hearing is filed within fifteen (15) days following the day on which the license was suspended, the license shall be deemed to have been revoked. Any petition for a hearing following receipt of a notice that the license is to be suspended must be filed within fifteen (15) days of receipt of the notice. Upon receipt of notice of suspension, the operator shall immediately cease operation of the rooming house and shall display the notice of suspension along with the license as required in C.C. 4561.03. (Ord. 1057-94; Ord. No. 2019-2021, § 1, 7-26-2021)

Columbus City Codes § 4561.09 Bathroom facilities.

4561.09 - Bathroom facilities. Every rooming house shall have one (1) bathroom which affords privacy to a person using its facilities for each ten (10) persons or fraction thereof residing within a rooming house, including members of the operator's family whenever they share the use of the facilities. The facilities of the bathroom shall include one flush water closet, lavatory basin, and bathtub or shower in good working condition and properly connected to a public water and sewer system or to a water and sewer system approved by the Health Commissioner which provides at all times an adequate amount of heated and unheated running water. In a rooming house where rooms are let only to males, flush-urinals may be substituted for not more than one-half (½) the required number of water closets. All such facilities shall be so located within the dwelling as to be reasonably accessible from a common hall or passageway to all persons sharing such facilities. All bathroom doors shall provide an unobstructed opening adequate for safety. (Ord. 356-75.)

Columbus City Codes § 4561.10 Bedding and towels.

4561.10 - Bedding and towels. The operator of every rooming house shall change bed linen and towels, where supplied by the operator, at least once each week and prior to letting of any room to any occupant. The operator shall be responsible for the maintenance of all supplied bedding in a clean and sanitary manner. (Ord. 356-75.)

Columbus City Codes § 4561.11 Floor space requirements.

4561.11 - Floor space requirements. Every room occupied for sleeping purposes by one (1) person shall contain at least seventy (70) square feet of floor space, and every room occupied for sleeping purposes by more than one (1)person shall contain at least forty (40) square feet of floor space for each occupant thereof or one hundred ten (110) square feet, whichever is greater. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section and of Section 4541.02 and Chapter 3333, dormitory sleeping rooms may be provided for occupancy by more than six (6) persons in college dormitories, college fraternities, college sororities, college club houses and by any religious or denominational institution or organization, or charitable organization, which is operated, supervised or controlled by or in connection with a religious organization, or any bona fide private or social organization subject to all the provisions of this Housing Code, except the floor space requirements thereof. Such dormitory sleeping rooms shall comply with the following requirements. (a) Beds. Beds shall have not more than two (2) decks each. The term "bed" shall include any bed, bunk, cot, or other furniture equipment used for sleeping purposes. (b) Exits and Aisles. Clear space at least three (3) feet wide shall be provided for not less than three (3) feet in front of each fire exit and stairway and shall be connected by aisle at least three (3) feet wide to a center or main aisle. Any center or main aisle shall be at least three (3) feet wide. (c) Spacing of Beds. Space at least two (2) feet wide shall be provided at the ends of beds and between the ends of beds arranged end to end except that center or main aisles between the ends of beds shall be at least three (3) feet wide. Space at least thirty (30) inches wide shall be provided along each long side of each bed, but where such is a center or main aisle it shall be at least three (3) feet wide. (Ord. 1611-84; Ord. No. 1443-2009, § 10, 11-16-2009; Ord. No. 2019-2021, § 1, 7-26-2021)

Columbus City Codes § 4561.12 Egress; stairways.

4561.12 - Egress; stairways. In every structure used for rooming house purposes where more than twelve (12) persons are accommodated on the second floor or more than six (6) persons are accommodated above the second floor, there shall be not less than two (2) stairways for egress from each floor above the first floor. Only one (1) stairway is required to the second floor, however, where that floor is not more than fourteen feet above the finished exterior grade level and the stairway leads directly to the exterior of the structure or to a hall which leads directly to the exterior and to grade level. In structures with three or more stories, one of the stairways shall be constructed and enclosed with one-hour fire-resistive materials with at least one (1) handrail unless one stairway is an exterior stairway which conforms to the requirements of Section 4525.03 or a fire escape with handrails leading to grade level. This exterior stairway or fire escape shall be accessible through a door which cannot be locked from within and which is located in a hallway or in a room which is not occupied. This room shall be directly reached from a hall through a door without a locking device or bolt of any kind, and shall be located as remotely as possible from the inside stairways. All wells and areaways shall be protected with guard rails. (Ord. 356-75.)

Columbus City Codes § 4561.13 Sanitary maintenance.

4561.13 - Sanitary maintenance. The operator of every rooming house shall be responsible for the sanitary maintenance of all walls, floors, ceilings and for maintenance of a sanitary condition in every part of the rooming house. The operator of every rooming house shall be further responsible for the sanitary maintenance of the entire premises where the entire structure or building is leased or occupied by the operator. (Ord. 356-75; Ord. No. 2019-2021, § 1, 7-26-2021)

Columbus City Codes § 4561.14 Fire extinguishers.

4561.14 - Fire extinguishers. (a) Every rooming house shall be equipped with at least one (1) fire extinguisher located in the basement and on each occupied floor. Such extinguisher shall be approved by the National Board of Fire Underwriters as designated by the chief of the division of fire or his deputy. Where any floor area is in excess of two thousand square feet (2,000 sq. ft.) there shall be installed one (1) additional approved fire extinguisher for each two thousand square feet (2,000 sq. ft.) of floor area or fraction thereof. (b) All fire extinguishers shall be inspected and recharged as per instructions for each particular type of extinguisher and the date of such inspection or recharge shall be duly recorded on each extinguisher. (c) The location of all such fire extinguishers as are required under this chapter shall be indicated and approved by the chief of the division of fire or the chief's deputy, and all such fire extinguishers shall be kept in good repair and in operating condition at all times. (Ord. 1611-84; Ord. No. 2019-2021, § 1, 7-26-2021)

Columbus City Codes § 4561.15 Exit signs.

4561.15 - Exit signs. In rooming houses where ten (10) or more people are lodged, an illuminated exit sign shall be installed over each stairway door and emergency means of exit. Such exit signs shall remain illuminated at all times. The electrical circuit supplying exit signs shall not supply other lights, receptacles, or appliances and shall be so connected that there will be only one set of fuses between the same and service fuses. The exit sign shall meet the standards set in the Columbus Building Code. (Ord. 356-75.)

Columbus City Codes § 4561.16 Bedfast or feeble persons.

4561.16 - Bedfast or feeble persons. In all rooming houses, all bedfast or feeble persons shall be lodged on the first floor. (Ord. 356-75.)

Columbus City Codes § 4561.17 Locks.

4561.17 - Locks. Access doors to all rooming units and window openings to the outside shall have functioning locking devices to insure privacy of the occupant and security of the unit. (Ord. 1254-75.)

Columbus City Codes § 4561.051 Annual inspection.

4561.051 - Annual inspection. A. The operator of a rooming house or dwelling units sharing a bathroom shall contact the Division for an annual inspection any time within sixty (60) days prior to the license expiration. B. If upon inspection the facility complies with the provisions of the Housing Code the code enforcement officer shall sign the license to renew it for another year upon payment of the annual fee and any reinspection fees which may have been assessed. C. If upon inspection the facility fails to comply with the provisions of the Housing Code the code enforcement officer shall not renew the license and the operator shall have sixty days after the license expires to effect corrections and obtain the code enforcement officer's approval for renewal. The license for a facility which fails to comply within sixty days shall be cancelled. D. New or unlicensed facilities and those for which the license has been cancelled are subject to the fees prescribed in the Fee Schedule. E. The license shall be on display at the facility at all times. A replacement license shall be available upon payment of the fee prescribed in the Fee Schedule. (Ord. 1057-94.)

Source: City of Columbus, City Codes and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/oh/columbus/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT45HOCO_CH4561ROHOFetched: 10/27/2026