Single Family Dwelling (Pittsburgh, York, Upper St. Clair: lease, house, neighborhood)

[old_pizza]

I'm a current resident of Upper St. Clair and I am curious if someone could point me in the right direction to find some information about more than one family living in a single family home. I think this is breaking some sort of code but after searching around the township website, I didn't turn up with much success.

Basically, I want to know if this is in fact breaking a code and where I have to reach out to have it further investigated.

Thank you.

[ctoocheck]

The existence of ordinances about nonrelatives sharing a unit varies by municipality. I don't think they're very common in most places. Another issue could potentially be a limit on the number of permitted occupants. You would have to check the appropriate zoning codes or other laws.

[Hopes]

This is from NY state, but it details historic court decisions on this issue.

New York State | Office of General Counsel

Whatever your gripe, it's unlikely you can do anything about it--thankfully.

[ny789987]

This thread makes me feel glad that I don't live next door to the neighborhood busybody.

[I_Like_Spam]

What goes around, comes around.

If you have a problem with something your neighbor is doing, you should probably just ask them about it.

But looking to get them in trouble with the authorities can cause a backlash. Townships and cities have all sorts of ordinances which people can complain about, from how high the grass is to where you park your car to the height of your fences, hedges or trees. If you try and get these people into trouble, even if you aren't successful, expect retaliation.

[PghYinzer]

My nebby neighbor in Brookline yells at kids to keep off my porch when I am not home, but when it comes to issues like this she would never even consider this type of action appropriate.

Give me a good old fashioned yinzer for a neighbor any day of the week.....

[Moby Hick]

I wouldn't get that upset about two families, but I would about a single-family house being leased to five students. There's a place for that type of stuff and that place is Oakland.

Like zoning that keeps commercial or industrial activities off of certain blocks, it's the kind of law that is needed to keep things livable when you have dense, urban areas.

[mdavis6890]

Moby - OP's issue and your example aren't like zoning at all - they're about keeping PEOPLE in their place. Zoning is about keeping ACTIVITIES in their place.

It's a dangerous idea to have the government start telling people where to live.

[Moby Hick]

Originally Posted by mdavis6890

Moby - OP's issue and your example aren't like zoning at all - they're about keeping PEOPLE in their place.

"One-Family Residence District" is a "zone" in zoning. It isn't like zoning. It is zoning. In the Pittsburgh code, this stuff is covered in the zoning regulations.

Municode