Portsmouth City Council is considering changes to the city’s rules for rentals. Council will have a first reading of the revised housing code at Monday’s meeting.
Among the highlights of the rental rules:
Permits will be required to rent to lease, and zoning approval is required for any home or rooming house.
All rentals must have at least one working kitchen and bathroom and a heating system capable of heating all the rooms people will use in the house. Portable heaters that use gas or kerosene do not meet the standards. Adequate hot water is also required.
There must be at least 150 square feet of habitable floor space for one occupant and 100 additional square feet for each additional resident.
Download the full code proposal here for free.
Bedrooms must be at least 60 sq. feet for 1 person with an additional 40 sq. ft for each additional person.
People are not permitted to live in cellars. Basements may be rented if they are watertight and have some window areas. However, no bedrooms or kitchens are permitted in basements.
Bedrooms and bathrooms are required to have at least one window facing outdoors.
Rentals must also be weather and watertight as well as rodent-proof. Owners must repair cracks and holes in walls and then paper and paint those repairs to match the rest of the home.
Rentals must have direct doors to access the outside.
Renters must be able to get to their sleeping quarters without passing through other bedrooms or bathrooms. That would mean that many historical shotgun houses are not eligible for rental.
Download the full code proposal here for free.
Portsmouth City Council has usually stood firmly behind city code inspection, often praising the department for all it does to help fight nuisance properties in the city limits.
But the council is considering some changes to the housing code, and they are making it clear that they expect inspectors to treat the public well.
Included in the legislation is a statement proclaiming that all building and department code enforcement personnel are required to treat citizens with courtesy and respect. Unless inspectors have the consent of the owner or a search warrant, they’re not allowed to enter an occupied home unless there’s an obvious emergency.
They also pledge to ensure firm and fair application of the code.
Download the full code proposal here for free.