Code Enforcement Housing

The Leominster Board of Health is charged with the responsibility of ensuring that area housing meets a minimum standard of fitness and that residents of our community will have access to decent, safe and sanitary housing.

The Leominster Board of Health staffs two full-time Code Enforcement Inspectors.

One of these staff positions is funded through a grant from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Developments' (HUD) Community Development Block Grant Program. The HUD funded position requires that inspector to work only in areas that will benefit extremely low, low and moderate-income households.

The function of the Code Enforcement Inspector is to respond to complaints and requests for inspections where violations of the housing code are believed to exist in renter occupied and owner occupied single and multi-family dwellings, rooming/boarding houses and hotels/motels throughout the City of Leominster.

These inspections determine if the dwelling unit complies with the Massachusetts State Sanitary Code, Chapter II - Minimum Standards of Fitness for Human Habitation. This code provides a set of standards that are designed to help determine if a dwelling is fit for human habitation.

Some examples of what these comprehensive inspections include:

  • Kitchen Facilities
  • Space and Use
  • Bathroom Facilities
  • Potable Water
  • Hot Water
  • Lighting and Electrical Facilities
  • Ventilation
  • Sewage Disposal
  • Plumbing
  • Asbestos
  • Space and Use
  • Temporary Housing
  • Exits
  • Security
  • Smoke Detectors
  • Maintenance of Structural Elements
  • Lead Paint
  • Insects and Rodents
  • Garbage and Rubbish

Enforcement of the minimum standards includes enforcement of certain sections of additional State of Massachusetts codes that apply to housing including:

  • Massachusetts State Plumbing Code (248 CMR 2)
  • Massachusetts State Fuel Gas Code (248 CMR 4-8)
  • Massachusetts State Electrical Code (527 CMR 12)
  • Massachusetts State Building Code (780 CMR 1-22)
  • Massachusetts State Regulations for Lead Poisoning Prevention and Control (105 CMR 460.000)
  • Minimum Standards for Sewage Disposal Systems (State Environmental Code, Title 5, 310 CMR 15)

After an inspection, all violations are reported to the property owner and the occupant. The property owner is issued an order to correct the violations and is given a time frame in which to bring the property into compliance. The inspector will conduct re-inspections to determine that all violations have been corrected. If the property owner fails to obey the order, the Board of Health initiates judicial proceedings or levies fines.

Very often property owners are unaware that housing code violations exist on their property or they do not realize that an existing condition constitutes a code violation. Often an order to correct violations is the first contact a property owner has with the local board of health. The housing inspectors will work closely with property owners assisting in any way appropriate to facilitate the owner's compliance with the State Sanitary Code.

Please be advised that housing inspectors cannot give referrals or recommendations for contractors or companies.