Boston's Inspectional Services Department is finding chronic code violations as its inspectors begin to fan out to rental units across the city to enforce an ordinance — given new teeth last year — that will prompt 90,000 apartment inspections over the next five years.
Since beginning the inspections in early October, ISD has hit 43 units and found chronic issues that need addressing, such as water stains, rodents and unsanitary kitchen equipment including sinks and ovens, said Dave Rini, assistant director of rental housing inspections, who was hired to coordinate enforcement of the rental ordinance. Citations aren't yet being written under a grace period that gives landlords 30 days to correct problems.
"We're finding in general that a good number of the properties are not passing their initial inspections," Rini said, "but the program is set up to allow landlords to correct any violations."
The City Council and former Mayor Thomas M. Menino strengthened a decades-old rental housing inspection ordinance last year. It now compels landlords to report how many units they own and where to the ISD, which creates a database to ensure they are inspected on a five-year cycle. Previously, the ordinance called on landlords to report to the city when units turned over, which was hardly ever happening, ISD said.
"We're really trying to stay on top of it and make this a standard part of ISD's responsibilities," ISD Commissioner William "Buddy" Christopher said. "It lets us be very proactive if we see deteriorating conditions or deferred maintenance that is not taking place the way it should be."
This year, ISD is focusing on units with a recent history of code violations and a high number of housing court cases, as well as foreclosed properties.
Mayor Martin J. Walsh said his administration "is committed to continuously improving our efforts to educate owners and tenants alike about their rights and responsibilities, and these inspection requirements will protect tenants and promote safe housing."
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