The Housing Inspection Program (HIP) is a unique program developed by the City of Del City. Ordinance No. 1334 makes it unlawful to occupy (or cause to be occupied) a residential structure without a Certificate of Occupancy. It also makes it unlawful for a utility provider (including the Del City Municipal Services Authority) to initiate utility services to a property without a Certificate of Occupancy. Furthermore, a separate ordinance and a Resolution of the Del City Municipal Services Authority provide that city utility accounts would only be opened in the name of the primary occupant of a structure. Contrary to most claims, every residential structure in Del City is inspected, not just rental houses.
The program went into effect on November 1, 2008.
The initial inspection fee is $40.00. Re-inspections are provided at no-charge, provided that work is actually progressing in good faith. A re-inspection fee of $100.00 may be assessed for missed appointments or multiple failed re-inspections. All applications must be signed by the Property Owner and Occupant.
The HIP relies on existing codes to determine the standards for property maintenance based on the 2015 International Property Maintenance Code. The IPMC serves as the basis for the inspection checklist, although some provisions have been modified to reflect the realities of the existing housing stock.
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