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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-343F \SFIARED\DEPT\LGL\0ur DocumentAordmances\99\1kental Rehab doc ORDINANCE NO gq_3Z19 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS, APPROVING THE GUIDELINES FOR THE RENTAL REHABILITATION PROGRAM AND ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA, AUTHORIZING EXPENDITURES IN EXCESS OF $15,000 FOR PROJECTS MEETING PROGRAM GUIDELINES AND CRITERIA, AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Denton recognizes the need to assist low and moderate income families in securing safe, sanitary and decent housing, and WHEREAS, the City of Denton has developed a program to rehabilitate tenant occupied housing units by making needed repairs through its Rental Rehabilitation Program, which is administered by the City of Denton Community Development Office and funded through a federal grant, NOW, THEREFORE, THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DENTON HEREBY ORDAINS SECTION 1 That the City Council approves the Rental Rehabilitation Program Guidelines and eligibility criteria attached to and made a part of this ordinance for all purposes, and authorizes the City of Denton Community Development to administer this program SECTIQ2 That the City Council authorizes the expenditure of funds in excess of $15,000 by the Community Development Office for projects meeting program guidelines and criteria, subject to compliance with competitive bidding laws, where applicable SECTION 3 That this ordmance shall become effective immediately upon its passage and approval PASSED AND APPROVED this the 'o /S day of a4�1999 IAC LLER, MAYOR ATTEST JENNIFER WALTERS, CITY SECRETARY BY APP VED AS TO LEGAL FORM HERBERT L PROUTY, CITY ATTORNEY BY / t 0ZL CITY OF DENTON RENTAL REHABILITATION PROGRAM GUIDELINES 1998 / 1999 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction Description of Program Procedures I Eligibility Requirements II Application Processing III Contractor Selection, Monitoring and Debarment IV Payment to Contractor V Financial Subsidy Mechanism VI Deferred Payment Loan with a 10% Per Year Forgiveness VII Appeals Procedure VIII Program Guidelines IX Minimum Rehabilitation Standards Appendices Current Fair Market Rents Appendix I Application Form Appendix II Target Neighborhoods Map Appendix III Introduction The City of Denton Rental Housing Rehabilitation Program is designed to assist low and moderate -income families in securing safe, sanitary and decent housing This program's objective is to rehabilitate renter occupied housing units by making needed repairs with the first priority as correcting code violations The Rental Rehabilitation Program is administered by the City of Denton's Community Development Division and funded through a federal grant The Community Development Division is located at 100 W Oak Street, Suite 208 The following pages contain a detailed description of the program including policies and procedures The purpose of these guidelines is to explain to potential clients and the citizens of Denton, the Rental Housing Rehabilitation Program and types of assistance available For further information or clarification of the guidelines, contact the Community Development Division at 940-349-7726 DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM PROCEDURES _u_► To be eligible for rehabilitation assistance, the applicant must be a citizen of the United States or a legal resident alien Also, the applicant's primary residence must be within the City of Denton The applicant must be the owner of a rental unit within a targeted neighborhood and should hold fee simple title to the property The income of applicants cannot be more than 150% of the median income for the Dallas metropolitan area Below is a table that indicates the maximum income level based on family size Ipufolt $ire Maximum Owner Income 1 $ 57,150 2 $ 65,250 3 $ 73,500 4 $ 81,600 5 $ 88,200 The current tenants of the unit to be rehabilitated must be low or moderate Income Low/Moderate income is defined as below 80% of the current Dallas area median income limits adjusted for family size The following table shall be used to establish a tenant's eligibility based on gross family income and family size Household Size Maximum Tenant Income 1 $ 30,450 2 $ 34,800 3 $ 39,150 4 $ 43,500 5 $ 47,000 6 $ 50,500 7 $ 53,950 8 $57,450 The tenant's statement of Income shall be verified by contacting the tenant's employer and/or obtaining a copy of the tenant's latest income tax return Annual Page 4 income includes earnings (wages, pensions, etc ) spouse's earnings, interest from stocks, bonds, income from real estate, public assistance, etc Also included is any amount regularly contributed by any other adult member of the family Applicants must also exhibit the ability to pay monthly property expenses including mortgage payments, taxes, insurance, utility bills, etc All property taxes assessed by the various taxing agencies in Denton County must be paid in full Any property owners wishing to apply for Rental Rehabilitation assistance must complete the application and all other required forms included in the proposal packet All information on the completed applications will be verified by the Community Development staff If any information is found to have been intentionally falsified, the application will be rejected and the applicant will not be allowed to reapply If the applicant is determined to be eligible for the program, a preliminary inspection will be made of the dwelling unit The dwelling unit must meet certain standards to be considered eligible for rehabilitation These standards are listed below The unit(s) must be located within the recognized Rental Rehabilitation Target Area (Appendix 3) 2 The unit(s) must not be situated in the Designated Flood Plain Area 3 The unit(s) must be classified as a renter -occupied structure 4 The unit(s) must be in an existing condition that would permit rehabilitation to bring the structure to meet current City of Denton building codes 5 The unit(s) must be serviced by a City approved water supply, sanitary sewer and electrical system 6 The unit must be two bedroom or larger Preference will go to three bedroom and four bedroom units Protect Selection Project selection will be based upon an analysis of the following factors Location of unit Page 5 Number of bedrooms Owner's ability to obtain private financing Number and extent of major health and safety violations to be corrected Tenant displacement (preference given to no displacement) Economic feasibility Amount of subsidy required Owner's Equity in property Potential impact on neighborhood Track record of landlord in low income tenant placement Management and maintenance capabilities Quality of rehabilitation plan Accessibility or adaptability of unit for handicapped tenants Commitment by landlord to and/or likelihood of low income tenant placement III CONTRACTOR SELECTION, MONITORING AND DEBARMENT Contractors participating in the Rental Rehabilitation Program will be selected by the eligible property owner The property owner will be required to solicit at least two bids from contractors based on the preliminary work specifications completed by the CD inspector The property owner shall also be responsible for supplying all bidders with a Community Development Contractor's Packet that includes the contractor information sheet, performance manual, general specifications for workmanship, all insurance and bonding requirements, a contractor's eligibility certification form and a copy of the preliminary work wnte-up Bid proposals and all other required forms from the contractors shall be submitted to Community Development Division for review Acceptable bid proposals must fall within a ten percent (10%) margin of the cost estimate developed by the community development inspector THE CITY OF DENTON AND/OR THE PROPERTY OWNER RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REJECT ANY AND ALL BIDS Any contractor whose name appears on the most current HUD Debarred Contractor's List will not be eligible to participate in this program Once the contractor has been selected and approved, a contract agreement must be signed Before the contractor can start work, the property owner must Issue a notice to proceed The contractor's work will be monitored by the property owner, the Community Development staff and the City of Denton building code inspectors If the property owner considers any work done by the contractor to be unsatisfactory or incomplete, the property owner should advise the contractor of the discrepancy and ask that it be corrected 70TAM 9 Page 6 Final Inspection - In order for the contractor to close out a rehabilitation job, a final inspection shall be made by the City of Denton budding code inspector, the Community Development Inspector, and the property owner If the final inspection results in no additional work or no specified corrections, the property owner shall sign the contractor's release form which states that all work has been completed to their (property owner's) satisfaction The building code inspector shall sign a final inspection form to confirm the same At this time, the contractor is required to submit to the property owner copies of all warranties and releases of liens from subcontractors and suppliers The Community Development staff will not authorize payment to the contractor until these documents are properly completed and submitted to the property owner and copies provided to the Community Development Division 2 Warranty of Work - As stated in the rehabilitation contract, the contractor shall guarantee the work performed for a period of at least one year from the date of final acceptance The owner is responsible for periodic review of the work Contractor Debarment A contractor will be declared ineligible to participate in projects funded by the City of Denton's Housing Rehabilitation Program for one or more of the following causes Failure to complete a project within the prescribed contract period Failure to complete warranty repairs within a reasonable time period 3 Failure to use licensed plumbing and electrical subcontractors 4 Failure to obtain proper insurance, i e , both liability and worker's compensation 5 Failure to complete work in accordance with program specifications and/or accepted standards of workmanship 6 Failure to pay all subcontractors working on the project appropriately and/or submit affidavits of payment signed by all subcontractors 7 Failure to obtain proper permits for work in progress Contractors will be notified of their proposed debarment and will be afforded the opportunity to comment or appeal the action All appeals must be made in cantina to the Community Development Division at least 15 days after the date of the notification letter Page 7 MamnI;[L,ka"sue,Ilr l•[�3 • The contractor shall receive payment for all completed contracts within 15 working days after final inspection and approval of all work Ten percent (10%) of the total contract amount will be withheld for 30 days At the end of this time, the property owner must approve release of contingency funds An "All Bills Paid" affidavit or release of lien from all subcontractors and suppliers must be submitted before payment Rental rehabilitation partial payment minimum are as follows projects over 50,000 at least 10% per draw, projects under 50,000 50% and final payment Owners of rental units are provided with two assistance options 1) Owners will be provided with up to 25% of the amount necessary to rehabilitate the property Funds will be provided as a 10-year deferred loan At the end of the 10-year period, if all program guidelines have been met, the loan will be forgiven 2) Owners will be provided with up to 50% of the amount necessary to rehabilitate the properly The first 25% will be a deferred loan as described above Any amount over 25% of the cost of the rehabilitation will be a loan with a 2% interest rate There will be a 10-year loan term Option 1 will provide no more than the following dollar amounts three or four bedroom-$6,000, two bedroom-$5,000 Option 2 will allow owners to double that minimum though they must pay back anything over 25% of the total rehabilitation cost Owners are required to sign a contract and a lien will be placed on the property for the 10-year period Owners are required to maintain the property and affirmatively market the property to low and moderate income households. * All project funding contributed by the owner will be placed in an escrow account with the City of Denton prior to contract execution The owner must also comply with the terms of the note and mortgage that include the following No conversion to condominiums or any type of cooperative ownership for the 10-year duration of the lien 2 No discrimination against tenants receiving Federal, State or local rental assistance for the 10-year duration of the lien 3 The project must be maintained according to adopted City of Denton building codes in effect during the year in which the rehabilitation took place Page 8 VI 4 The owner must affirmatively market vacant units for the ten-year duration of the lien 5 The unit will be made available and leased to persons whose income is less than 80% of the area median income If the owner violates any of these restrictions, the entire amount of the loan less 10% for each full year after completion of the rehabilitation of the units until the time of default, will be due and payable in full immediately after the owner is notified that the loan must be repaid PROGRAM GUIDELINES Property owner agrees to comply with all HUD requirements to not discriminate upon the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, disability status or family status in the sale, lease, rental, or use of occupancy of the subject property 2 Property owner agrees to not award any contract for rehabilitation work to be paid for in whole or in part with the proceeds of the grant, to any contractor who, at the time, is ineligible under the provisions of any applicable regulations issued by the Secretary of Labor, United States Department of Labor, or the Department of Housing and Urban Development to receive an award of such contract 3 The tenant will continue to occupy the premises during the rehabilitation Any tenant required to move temporarily or permanently as a result of the rehabilitation*, must be paid relocation/displacement costs as outlined in the City's Tenant Assistance Policy *Any displacement including tenants who move out as a result of their inability to pay increased rents, are considered displaced Displacement costs are the responsibility of the property owner 4 Property owner agrees that existing house utility services will be made available to the contractor without charge as follows electricity, gas, water and telephone (local calls only) 5 Property owner agrees that the City shall be the agent for the owner and as such agent shall hold both the owner's private funds and all grant funds in escrow for the purpose of disbursement thereof to the contractor 6 Property owner agrees that it is his/her sole responsibility to see that the contractor completes the work specified in his contract to the owner's satisfaction and that the City of Denton has no responsibility for any Page 9 defects, faulty work or incomplete work by the contractor The owner further agrees that the City has no liability for warranty of any of the workmanship or materials furnished by the contractor under the contract The owner further agrees that latent or hidden conditions in the property which were not included in the original inspection and work write-up of the City are not the responsibility of the contractor nor of the City, but remain the responsibility of the owner 7 As part of the consideration for providing the funds to rehabilitate property as described herein, the property owner agrees to maintain and keep the property in good repair after the completion of the work to be performed by contractor, taking into consideration the ability of the owner to do so The property owner also agrees to maintain the property up to City of Denton Budding code standards that were in effect when the rehabilitation was completed Owner agrees to do this during the term of the loan agreement and understands that if at anytime the property fads to meet these code standards, the loan amount will become due immediately 8 The owner shall issue a written Notice to Proceed within thirty (30) days from the date of acceptance of the contractor's bid and proposal If the Notice to Proceed is not received by the contractor within this 30-day period, the contractor has the option of withdrawing his/her bid and proposal If the contractor chooses to do this, a written notice must be delivered to the owner with a copy to the City The contractor shall not begin the work to be performed until receipt of written Notice to Proceed from the owner after which the contractor shall begin the work within ten (10) calendar days of the date of said Notice and shall complete said work within sixty (60) days or as agreed to in the Rehabilitation contract The contractor shall not assign the contract without written consent of the owner and the City and/or its agent 10 The contractor shall not be responsible for any delays in the completion of work due to the following A Any acts of the government, including controls or restrictions upon or requisitioning of materials, equipment, tools or labor by reason of war, National Defense or any other national emergency B Any acts of the owner C Causes not reasonably foreseeable by the parties to this contract at the time of the execution of the contract which are beyond the control and without the fault or negligence of the contractor, including but not limited to acts of God or of the public enemy, acts of another contractor in the performance of some other contract with the owner, fires, floods, epidemics, quarantine restrictions, strikes, freight Page 10 embargoes and weather of unusual severity such as hurricanes, tornadoes, etc D Any delay of the subcontractor occasioned by any of the causes specified in Subparagraphs (A) (B) and (C) above, provided that the contractor promptly (within 10 days) notifies the Owner in writing of the cause of the delay If the facts show the delay to be properly excusable, the owner shall extend the contract time by a period commensurate with the period of excusable delay 11 The contractor shall not be held responsible for preexisting violations of law including but not restricted to zoning or budding code regulations at the property listed in the contract Before beginning work, the contractor shall examine the work write-up for compliance with the applicable ordinance and codes for the new or replaced work and shall immediately report any discrepancy to the owner Where the requirements of the work write-up fail to comply with such applicable ordinances or codes for the new or replaced work, the owner and the City will adjust the contract by change order to conform to such ordinances or code and make appropriate adjustment in the contract price unless waivers in writing covering the difference have been granted by the proper authority 12 The contractor shall comply with all non-discrimination clauses included in the contract, non-compliance may result in termination of the contract 13 Bids or proposals will be submitted at the bidder's risk and the City and/or the owner reserve the right to decline funding for projects not in compliance with the guidelines 14 Subcontractors shall be bound by the terms and conditions of the contract, insofar as it applies to their work This shall not relieve the general contractor from the full responsibility to the owner for the completion of all work to be executed under this agreement and he shall not be released from this responsibility by any subcontractural agreement he may make with others 15 When adjacent property is affected or endangered by any work done under this contract, it shall be the responsibility of the contractor to take whatever steps are necessary for the protection of the adjacent property and to notify the owner thereof of such hazards 16 Repairs shall be made to all surfaces damaged by the contractor resulting from his/her work under this contract at no additional cost to the owner Where "repair of existing work" is called for by the contract, the feature shall be placed in "equal to new condition" either by patching or replacement All damaged, loose or rotted parts shall be removed and replaced and the finished work shall match adjacent work in design and dimension Page 11 17 After the final inspection and acceptance by the owner of all work under the contract including cleanup, the contractor shall submit to the owner for approval a requisition for payment When the required warranties and other required documents have been submitted and the release of liens has been executed by the contractor, the final payment will be made The payment will include any amounts remaining due under the contract as adjusted in accordance with approved change orders Payments will be made within 15 days of formal requisition for payment Partial payments will be made at discretion of the owner with the consent of the City 18 A Rehabilitation Loan maybe made to cover the cost necessary to bring the dwelling into conformance with City of Denton Codes The two categories of repairs listed below are to be included as priority items A Required Repairs Code violations which create hazardous conditions in regard to safety or health will generally involve the basic heating, plumbing or electrical systems B Recommended Repairs Code corrections or preventive maintenance efforts which should be undertaken to avoid more costly future action (1) Heating, plumbing and electrical improvements (2) Weatherization (3) Exterior work such as roofing, siding, painting, step and porch repair and retaining walls (4) Interior work such as renovation and repair of existing kitchen and bath facilities 19 The Denton Central Appraisal District automatically reappraise any house where a building permit is issued Participants in the Rehabilitation Program should be aware that the appraised value of their property might increase which consequently may cause their yearly property taxes to increase The policy shall be thoroughly explained to any person applying for rehabilitation assistance 20 Change orders may be made to cover an item of work that cannot be determined until sometime during the course of the rehabilitation work Change orders will be considered as follows A Change orders are used to add work necessary to correct incipient items that have been found to be defective after work is in progress but were not anticipated at the time the contract was executed B The change order amount is limited to a maximum of 10 percent (10%) of the total contract amount If it is necessary to request a change Page 12 order to make required repairs and the contract is already at the maximum amount, a work item of less priority will be deleted from the bid proposal in order to compensate for the added amount C Change orders will be used when it is necessary to delete work from a contract for any reason When items are deleted from the contract, they shall be at their previously bid amount When items are deleted, but do not have specific costs, in such cases the contract shall be reduced by negotiating the cost at prevailing rates D All change orders shall be executed by the property owner, contractor, and a Community Development official E Except for the purpose of affording protection against any emergency endangering life or property, the Contractor shall make no change in the work or rehabilitation, provide any extra or additional work or supply additional labor, services or materials beyond that actually required for the execution of the contract F All change order requests must be submitted by the contractor, signed by the homeowner and approved by Community Development No claim for an adjustment of the contract price by the contractor or homeowner will be valid unless this is done G The approval of a change order shall constitute authorization by the property owner and Community Development to change the loan amount equal to the cost of the work added or deleted, unless all available funds have been utilized If this is the case, the owner must absorb the total cost or delete non -code items in order to pay for the work described in the change order H It may be necessary to change the time of completion due to the addition of certain work items or delays that are beyond the contractor's control 21 If the work completed is not in accordance with the construction contract, Community Development shall advise the property owner of the non- compliance who then shall obtain appropriate action from the contractor No payment shall be processed on a construction contract until a contractor has satisfactorily completed all necessary corrective action 22 The owner shall be able to select the color and style of certain materials (i e carpet, floor covering, paneling, paint, etc ) 23 The contractor warrants that all materials, fixtures, and equipment furnished by the contractor and its subcontractors shall be new, of good title and that Page 13 the work will be done in a neat and workmanlike manner Neither the final payment nor any provision in the contract nor partial or entire use or occupancy of the premises by the owner shall constitute an acceptance of work not done in accordance with the Contract or relieve the Contractor of liability in respect to any express warranties or responsibility for faulty materials or workmanship The contractor shall promptly remedy any defect in the work and pay for any damage to other work resulting therefrom which may appear within a period of one year from the date of final acceptance of the work unless a longer period is specified The owner will give notice of observed defects with reasonable promptness 24 Mobile homes are not eligible for rehabilitation 25 Interest of certain federal and other officials A No member or Delegate to the Congress of the United States and no Resident Commissioner and no federal employee shall be admitted to any share or part of this contract or to any benefit to arise from same B No member of the governing body of the City and no other public official of or within the City or County who exercises any functions or responsibilities in connection with the administration of the Community Development Block Grant Program and no other employee of the Department of Planning and Community Development who exercises any such functions or responsibilities shall have any interest, direct or indirect, in rehabilitation proceeds which is incompatible or in conflict with the discharge or fulfillment of his functions and responsibilities in connection with the carrying out of the Housing Rehabilitation Program The length of time this exclusion shall be in effect is one (1) year following the ending of term of office and shall be binding upon, but not limited to, all of the individuals and agencies herein described 26 The property owner agrees that for a period of ten years after the project is completed not to convert the rehabilitated units to condominium ownership If the owner does convert rehabilitated units to condominium ownership, the entire loan amount shall be due immediately 27 The property owner agrees not to discriminate against prospective tenants on the basis of their receipt of or eligibility for, housing assistance under any Federal, State or local housing assistance program, on the basis that the tenants have a minor child who will be residing with them, or on the basis that they are a handicapped individuals 28 The property owner agrees to maintain the rehabilitated property up to adopted City of Denton Budding Code Standards in effect the year in which Page 14 the rehabilitation was completed This will be applicable for a period of at least ten years after the project is completed 29 The property owner agrees to comply with applicable lead -based paint regulations 33 The property owner agrees to comply with the City of Denton's Tenant Assistance Policy, including execution of all tenant notifications outlined in the policy Copies of all tenant correspondence must be submitted to the Community Development Division VII MINIMUM REHABILITATION STANDARDS Roofs Roofs should not leak and have no evidence of rotted decking, fascia or soffit Any roof with two or more layers of roofing must be stripped to the decking If it is determined a new roof is necessary the decking must be checked for broken or rotted decking and shall be repaired or replaced as needed Where new decking is required the material shall be one-half inch plywood or one-half inch waferboard to be used with H clips between sheets All roofs that are stripped shall be replaced with new felt paper, the proper flashing and metal drip edge with 240 pound shingles Any roof with less than a 4/12 pitch shall be covered with rolled roofing, with at least 12 inches of lap, if installation of rolled roofing is not sufficient to promote proper run off roof will be rebuilt Siding and Trim All exterior siding and trim shall be free of holes, cracks or rotted material that might admit moisture into walls New siding may be applied only if the cost of new siding and installation is comparable to the repair and painting costs of the existing siding Windows All windows and hardware shall operate satisfactorily Cracked or broken windows shall be replaced Window glazing shall be weather tight and windows shall be weather stripped so as not to allow entry of air and water around the glass, sashes or window casings All windows shall have screens and working locks Drainage The grade of concrete or dirt should drain at least five feet away from foundation walls Page 15 Site Improvements All replaced concrete surfaces are to be level with the widths to match the existing surfaces All steps both concrete or wood that pose a threat to the occupants shall be repaired or, if necessary, replaced with treated material or concrete Foundations and Piers Skirting shall be six (6) inches underground level If it is necessary to install skirting, new 22 or 24 gauge skirting shall be used Kitchens Kitchens shall have a specific area that contains a sink with hot and cold running water, counter workspace, and space for storage of cooking utensils Stairs All stairs shall provide for the safety of ascent and descent All treads and risers should show no evidence of breakage or have evidence of excessive wear All stairs shall be equipped with handrails Utility Areas Gas or oil fired water heaters or furnaces shall not be located in the bathrooms or bedrooms In addition to all plumbing and electrical codes, water heaters and furnaces shall be enclosed with a sealed door and adequate upper and lower combustion air All washer and dryer hookups must meet City Code Structural System The wood, masonry or steel components shall be in serviceable condition for the expected useful life of the rehabilitated building Structural members that are in seriously deteriorated condition shall be replaced Sagging and unleveled floors shall be raised and stabilized as level as possible without causing interior damage Termite inspection and treatment shall be done if evidence of active infestations exist A certified pest control company will carry out the treatment and present documents of proof Page 16 Electrical System All replacement of existing wiring and equipment shall be done in conformance with the National Electric Code and the City of Denton Code Any potential source of electrical hazard or ignition of combustible material shall be corrected GFCI outlets shall be used in bathrooms, kitchen, garage, and exterior receptacles Additional outlets shall be added to eliminate extension cords and, at the request of the City Inspector, to meet City Codes Plumbing The plumbing system shall operate free of fouling and clogging, and not have cross -connections which permit contamination of the water supply or back siphonage between fixtures All sinks, lavatories, water closets, water heater, and other plumbing fixtures shall have accessible cutoff valves All fixtures shall have P-traps, necessary vents and be properly connected to a public or private sewage disposal system All sewer Imes shall have accessible cleanouts All water heaters shall be installed with double wall vent stack, a pop -off valve, and overflow to the exterior of the structure Mechanical Equipment All gas fired heating units must be vented with double wall pipe and proper upper and lower combustion air The unit shall not be installed in a living area such as bedrooms or under stairways Rigid gas pipe must be used to supply heating units with a maximum of three (3) feet of flexible pipe from the stop to the appliance All ductwork shall be properly sealed from the heat source to the register vent and from the return air supply to the heat source A gas pipe pressure test is required All leaks must be repaired Insulation and Weatherizatlon A R-30 insulation value in the attic shall be required Exterior Doors All exterior doors shall be solid core All locks shall be capable of tightly securing the door and shall be readily operable from the inside without the use of keys All exterior doors shall be weather stripped so that there is no significant entry of air or water into the structure Porches and Decks Page 17 All porches and decks shall be safe and capable of supporting anticipated loads All porches and decks in deteriorated condition and which serve no useful purpose or which are not economically repairable shall be removed Porches and decks 30 inches above grade shall have guardrails and flights of stairs with four or more risers They shall have a handrail on at least one side Gutters and Downspouts Gutters and downspouts should exist where they are deemed necessary to promote proper drainage Gutters will not normally be installed if they do not already exist Downspouts that cannot be connected to dram tiles shall have splash backs with proper site grading Chimneys and Vents Furnace and water heater vents shall be double wall vent pipe Existing unlined masonry chimneys having open mortar joints or cracks shall be removed or made safe by installation of a UL approved flue Inver Vent -a -hood stacks shall be vented through the roof Interiors All floors, walls, and ceilings shall be maintained in good, clean, and sanitary condition All peeling paint, cracked or loose plaster, and other defective surface conditions shall be eliminated All doors shall be operational Carpet and vinyl that is badly worn, torn or too dirty to be cleaned shall be replaced This shall be determined by the C D Inspector Existing carpet shall be cleaned with a commercial steam cleaner, if necessary Bathrooms An operational water closet, tub or shower, and lavatory should be in the bathroom Hot water should flow to the lavatory and tub or shower Coldwater should be supplied to all fixtures Either a window or an exhaust fan must be present to properly vent the bathroom Cabinets Built-in kitchen cabinets shall be repaired up to 50 percent of the cost of new cabinets Bathroom cabinets are not required Page 18