Mount Carmel — Ch. 12 Housing § 12-140
Bathing and toilet facilities
Operative Text
At least one flush water closet, lavatory basin and bathtub or shower, properly connected to a sewer and water system approved by the city inspector and in good working condition, shall be supplied for each eight persons or fraction thereof residing within a rooming house, including members of the operator's family wherever they share the use of said facilities; provided, however, that if it is a rooming house where rooms are let only to males, flush urinals may be substituted for not more than one-half of the required number of water closets. All such facilities shall be so located within the dwelling as to be reasonably accessible from a common hall or passageway to all persons sharing such facilities. Every lavatory basin and bathtub or shower shall be supplied with hot water at all times. No such facilities shall be located in a basement except by written approval of the city inspector.
Mount Carmel Ch. 12 Housing § 12-140 establishes minimum sanitation standards for rooming houses by requiring at least one flush toilet, sink, and bathtub or shower for every eight residents, with all fixtures properly connected to city-approved sewer and water systems and kept in good working order. These facilities must be reachable from a shared hallway or passageway, and hot water must be available at all times at every sink and bathtub or shower. In male-only rooming houses, flush urinals may replace up to half of the required toilets, and no such facilities may be placed in a basement without written city inspector approval.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators of rooming houses subject to Mount Carmel Ch. 12 Housing § 12-140 generally maintain a compliant ratio of sanitation fixtures — one toilet, sink, and tub or shower per eight residents — and ensure each fixture is connected to a city-approved sewer and water system and kept in good working condition. Compliant operators also confirm that all shared facilities are accessible from a common hall or passageway, that hot water is continuously available at every lavatory basin and bathtub or shower, and that no facilities are installed in a basement without first obtaining written approval from the city inspector. In male-only rooming houses, operators may substitute flush urinals for up to half of the required water closets under § 12-140's allowance.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Residents of rooming houses in Mount Carmel have a right under Ch. 12 Housing § 12-140 to sanitation facilities — including a toilet, sink, and bathtub or shower — that are properly connected to approved systems, in good working condition, accessible from a shared hallway, and supplied with hot water at all times. If these conditions are not met, tenants may have grounds to raise a violation of § 12-140 in relevant proceedings or file a complaint with the city inspector, who has authority over approvals and standards under this provision. Tenant-rights organizations or legal aid services can help residents understand the general enforcement paths available to them.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 10, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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