Chicago Heights — Ch. 22 Housing, Dangerous Buildings and Structures § 22-22

(a) No owner, agent or person in charge of a real estate improved with structures and/or buildings shall sell or convey title to real estate, or otherwise allow a change in occupancy unless said real estate has been inspected and determined to be compliant with all provisions of this chapter and all other relevant codes and regulations as determined by the City of Chicago Heights Code Enforcement Department pursuant to the rules below.
(b) Upon receipt of an application for inspection and the required fee the city code enforcement department shall conduct an inspection as soon as scheduling and practicality allows. The inspection fee shall be accordance with the following:
Residential (per dwelling unit, includes one re-inspection) .....$100.00 Additional re-inspections .....50.00
Commercial and industrial (sale or lease, includes two re-inspections for the first 10,000 square feet of gross floor area) .....200.00, plus $.05 per square foot of gross floor area over 10,000 square feet. Additional re-inspections .....100.00
In the event the inspection is not performed due to the failure of the owner, agent or person in charge to make appropriate arrangements to allow the inspection, one (1) re-inspection will be charged against the fee.
(c) If the inspection establishes that the structures and/or buildings and premises are in compliance with all of the provisions of this chapter and all relevant codes and regulations, the code enforcement department shall issue a "certificate of occupancy".
If the inspection reveals violations of the City Code, excluding "life-safety" violations, as determined in the sole discretion of the code enforcement department, the subject property may be issued a "temporary certificate of occupancy" to permit the property owner to remediate said violations while occupying the property. A "temporary occupancy certificate" shall be valid for a period not to exceed six (6) months, and a monetary "repair escrow" must be deposited with the city clerk prior to same being issued subject to the following conditions: Temporary occupancy certificate repair escrows . To obtain a temporary occupancy certificate a property owner or his/her agent must first present to the director of the code enforcement department a written estimate of the cost of the repairs required by the code enforcement department's inspection report of the subject property. Said estimate must be prepared and signed by a contractor licensed by the City of Chicago Heights. The director of the code enforcement department shall have sole discretion in determining whether said estimate is an adequate reflection of the estimated cost of the required repairs. Escrows which do not exceed $500.00, may be modified or waived at the sole discretion of the director of the code enforcement department.
If the code department director determines that the estimate is adequate, the buyer or seller of the subject property shall post a repair escrow equal to ten (10) percent of the repair estimate with the city clerk. The purpose of the repair escrow shall be to secure the performance of the remediation of the subject property's code violations.
It is a condition of the "temporary occupancy certificate" that required repairs to the subject property shall be completed within six (6) months of its issuance. If said repairs cannot be completed within six (6) months, the buyer or seller posting the escrow may request in writing, during the six-month period, an extension of ninety (90) days to complete the repairs. If neither the repairs are made, nor has an extension been requested within the six (6) month period, the city may initiate either of the following processes without further notice to the owner of the subject property: (1)
The director of the code enforcement department may cause the required repairs to be performed and make payment therefore from the repair escrow funds on deposit, or;
(2) The city council, pursuant to resolution, may declare the escrow funds forfeited to the city.
If the required repairs to the subject property are completed within the permitted six-month period, or an approved ninety-day extension period as set forth above, it shall be the obligation of the owner (or his/her agent) to contact the code enforcement department to arrange a re-inspection of the subject property within the same time period. If upon re-inspection, the subject property is determined compliant with the City Code, the repair escrow shall be refunded to the individual or entity that posted same.
If the owner (or his/her agent) of the subject property fails to contact the City for a re-inspection within the permitted six-month period or an approved ninety-day extension period, the repair escrow may be declared forfeited pursuant to city council resolution as set forth in paragraph (c)(2) above.
Occupancy certificates shall not be issued for properties for which inspections reveal the existence of "life-safety issues" as determined in the discretion of the code enforcement department.
(d) A certificate of occupancy shall not be deemed a release or waiver by the city of any requirement for compliance with the provisions of this chapter or any relevant codes; nor shall it constitute a guarantee that no code violations exist. The issuance of a certificate of occupancy shall not restrain or prohibit the city from making further inspections of any structure or premises and giving notice of a violation at any time notwithstanding the validity of a certificate of occupancy.