Sec. 21-37. Safety and security.

(a) General provision. Every rental housing unit should have security devices which restrict unlawful entry, smoke detectors to provide fire safety and should be maintained free from hazards to the health, safety or welfare of the occupants.

(b) Stairway; tripping hazard. Every inside and outside stairway shall be maintained in sound condition and free from any broken, rotted or missing steps or tripping hazards.

(c) Stairway; handrail. Every inside and outside stairway which contains four (4) or more risers shall be provided with a handrail in sound condition securely fastened to a wall or balusters.

(d) Stairway; guardrail and enclosures. Every stairway which exceeds thirty (30) inches in height shall be protected by a guardrail and enclosure material in sound condition. The openings in the enclosure material shall be of a size to prohibit a spherical object seven (7) inches in diameter from passing through or under.

(e) Balcony and porch; guardrail and enclosures. Every balcony or porch higher than thirty (30) inches above the ground shall be protected by a guardrail and enclosure material in sound condition. The openings in the enclosure material shall be of a size to prohibit a spherical object seven (7) inches in diameter from passing through or under.

(f) Locking devices; exterior doors. Exterior doors leading into rental housing units or tenant storage rooms, which are reasonably accessible, shall have a locking device properly installed and in sound condition capable of the use intended by its design. Specific requirements are as follows:

(1) Swinging exterior doors leading into rental housing units shall have dead bolt locks with a minimum one inch throw; and

(2) Sliding doors shall be provided with a locking device or devices which prevent lifting or sliding of the locked door from the exterior of the unit.

(g) Door viewers. Every principal entrance door shall be equipped with at least a one hundred sixty degree (160º) eye-viewer. Principal entrance doors which contain a window or have an adjacent window which allows a view of the area directly in front of the door, shall not require an eye-viewer.

(h) Locking devices; windows. Every open-able window reasonably accessible from the outside shall have a locking device or devices properly installed and in sound condition capable of the use intended by its design. Such devices shall prevent opening, lifting or sliding of the locked window from the exterior of the unit.

(i) Smoke detectors. Smoke detectors shall be installed in all existing rental housing units. The installation of smoke detectors shall meet the requirements of the currently adopted building code. The owner shall be responsible for the installation, replacing the battery annually (if battery operated) and maintaining appropriate records of required smoke detectors. Upon termination of a tenancy in any rental housing unit, the owner, owner's agent or manager shall insure that any required smoke detectors are operational prior to re-occupancy of the unit.

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A common example:

A common violation for this code is when a rental property does not have locks on the windows that are easily accessible from the outside. The violation in this scenario is that all rentals must have a locking device on all open-able windows that are easily accessible.