Ensuring Housing Quality
In Massachusetts, local boards of health play critical role in ensuring safe and healthy housing. Boards of Health enforce all aspects of the housing code, including conducting inspections upon their own initiative or upon request, issuing correction orders, and enforcing compliance.
If the board determines that a dwelling is unfit for human habitation or may be a cause of sickness or accident, the board can issue a correction order requiring the premises be repaired, vacated, or even torn down.
iA municipality can establish a proactive residential rental inspection program, where covered rental units are inspected on a periodic basis to ensure that they are safe and habitable. The hallmark of proactive rental inspection programs is that inspections are not complaint-based but take place at designated intervals, thereby taking the onus off of the renter to report potential code violations.
ii
Healthy Housing or Home Modification and Repair Programs are important to preserving housing quality and helping people age in place. Homeowners may not have the resources for repairs and upgrades critical to maintenance, occupant health and safety or energy efficiency. Older adults who wish to remain in their homes may need to make modifications to their homes to better accommodate their mobility needs.
Municipalities can provide no- to low-interest loans to modify the homes or support housing repairs to qualifying residents. Further, municipalities can provide education and resources on home assessments, modification design, finding and hiring qualified contractors, and other barriers.
Last updated