7.50.020 Definitions.

For the purposes of this Chapter 7.50, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings set forth herein:

(a) "Declaration of substandard condition" means a declaration, notice, or order executed by an Enforcement Officer under the authority of the applicable provision of law declaring that a dwelling is substandard.

(b) "Dwelling" means any structure that a person uses as a place of permanent or customary abode within San Mateo city limits, including, but not limited to, a single-family dwelling, a unit in multifamily or multipurpose dwelling, a unit of a condominium or cooperative housing project, a mobile home, a garage or shed, or any other unit or property that is considered to be real property under State law. A dwelling is any structure that is actually used for residential purposes regardless of whether the structure is decent, safe or sanitary and regardless of whether the actual residential use is legally permitted or conforming under any applicable laws or regulations.

(c) "Department" means the Community Development Department.

(d) "Director" means the head of the Department, or his or her designee.

(e) "Enforcement Officer" means any City employee or agent of the City whose position requires enforcement of any provision of the City of San Mateo Municipal Code, any City ordinance or any state law or regulation related to zoning, building or housing standards, and/or other technical codes adopted by the City for existing residential properties including, but not limited to, code enforcement officers, building officials and environmental health specialists.

(f) "Noncomplying dwelling or room" means a dwelling or room within San Mateo city limits which has been found or determined by an Enforcement Officer to be substandard, blighted, unsafe, a public nuisance, a drug nuisance, or otherwise not in conformity with applicable state or local zoning, building and/or housing standards and/or other technical codes adopted and enforced by the City for existing residential properties; and "noncomplying condition" or "noncompliance" means any physical condition or use with respect to the dwelling or room that contributes to such finding or determination.

(g) "Notice to abate life-threatening condition" means a notice and/or order to abate a substandard or noncomplying condition issued by the City pursuant to its code enforcement activities, however such notice or order is denominated, that indicates on its face that a life-threatening condition is present.

(h) "Notice to vacate" means a notice and/or order, however denominated, issued by the City or a court to a property owner and/or a tenant household pursuant to the City's code enforcement activities requiring that a dwelling or room be vacated, either immediately or at some future specified time, as a result of a determination that such dwelling or room fails to comply with applicable building, housing, zoning, or other code standards. For purposes of this chapter, a "notice to vacate" includes a complaint or action filed by the City with a court and served on the property owner pursuant to the City's code enforcement activities whereby the City asks for vacation of the property as requested relief.

(i) "Permanent displacement" means the vacating of a dwelling or room by a tenant household due to code enforcement activities when that dwelling or room (or an equivalent dwelling or room in the building or complex), in the judgment of the Enforcement Officer, cannot foreseeably be brought into code compliance or will not otherwise be available for re-occupancy by the tenant household within ninety (90) days from the date of vacating; or when the tenant household and the property owner have agreed that the displacement shall be permanent.

(j) "Property owner" means a person, persons, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, or any other entity holding fee title to the subject real property. In the case of multiple ownership of the subject real property, "property owner" means each entity holding any portion of the fee interest in the property and the property owner's obligations in this chapter shall be joint and several as to each property owner.

(k) "Temporary displacement" means the vacating of a dwelling or room by a tenant household due to code enforcement activities when that dwelling or room (or an equivalent dwelling or room in the same building or complex) will foreseeably be brought into code compliance and be available for re-occupancy by the tenant household within ninety (90) days from the date of vacating; or when the tenant household and property owner have otherwise agreed that the displacement shall be considered temporary.

(l) "Tenant household" means one or more individuals who rent or lease a dwelling or room as their primary residence and who share living expenses.