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Department of Inspectional Services

City of Worcester. Department of Inspectional Services. Amanda Wilson, Lee Hall & Phil Salmon. Inspectional Services.

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Department of Inspectional Services

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  1. City of Worcester Department of Inspectional Services Amanda Wilson, Lee Hall & Phil Salmon

  2. Inspectional Services • Our mission is to provide this community with building, housing and sanitary inspections to include approved permitted documentation through exemplary customer service. These various functions are performed by trained/certified employees with specialized expertise utilizing current technology.

  3. Divisions • Building and Zoning • Building construction permits • Gas/Plumbing permits • Electrical permits • Zoning • Regulatory Inspections • Enforcement

  4. Divisions cont. • Housing and Health Inspections • Housing/Nuisance Enforcement • Lead Paint Poisoning Prevention • Food Protection Program • Air, Water and Hazardous Materials • Weights and Measures • Enforcement

  5. DIS Overview • 26 field Inspectors • 14 Housing/Lead Inspectors • 1 Social Worker • More than 34,000 Inspections • More than 12,000 Permits

  6. Are you the Board of Health? • NO!.........But • We perform the public health regulatory inspections, such as restaurant inspections, water testing, lead paint inspections

  7. Housing Enforcement Laws • 105 CMR 410.000 STATE SANITARY CODE • Minimum Standards of Fitness for Human Habitation • Local Ordinances • Unregistered vehicles • OCC • Nuisance • Graffiti • Clothing Donation Boxes • Foreclosure -Public Health Regulations I-XVIII • Transporting offensive substances • Non permanent chemical toilets

  8. Authority • No person shall occupy or let to another for occupancy any dwelling unit for the purposes of living, cooking, sleeping and eating which do not comply with CMR 105 410.000

  9. Authority • To protect the health, safety and well being of the occupants of housing and of the general public, to facilitate the use of legal remedies available to occupants of substandard housing and to provide a method of notifying interested parties of violations of conditions which require immediate attention. • In order to properly carry the responsibilities inspectors are authorized to enter, examine, or survey at any reasonable time such place as they consider necessary to conduct such examination or survey • If any owner or occupant or other person refuses, impedes, inhibits, interferes with, restricts or obstructs entry and free access to every part of the structure, operation or premise where inspection is authorized is sought the inspector may seek a an administrative search warrant or revoke or suspend any license or permit regulation under the Sanitary Code

  10. What do we look for? • Exterior Conditions • Trash, overgrowth of vegetation • Unregistered vehicles • Posting of the owner’s contact information • Structural Conditions • Roof, soffit, eaves • Siding, railings, stairs, decking • Locks, lighting • Windows, screens • Is there a condition where someone can get injured at the property?

  11. What do we look for? • Interior Conditions • Fire protection-smoke detectors, carbon monoxides • Heat, hot water, potable water, electricity, gas • Kitchens- stoves, sinks, cabinets, counter tops, flooring • Bathrooms-sinks, toilets, tubs, mold • Pest infestation • Floor, doors, ceilings, walls

  12. Interior Conditions cont. • Light fixtures, outlets • Egress obstruction • Trash barrels • Are there enough for the occupant until final collection? • Basement • Asbestos • Cross metering of electricity • Curtailment of utilities

  13. Deferred Maintenance foundation deck Home extermination for rats (didn’t work)

  14. Enforcement Order • I've been issued an order from your office, now what? • Immediately make any emergency repairs needed and contact the inspector • Contact the tenant • Obtain the proper permits needed • Contact the inspector! • The tenant isn't paying the rent, I don’t want to fix the problem. It doesn’t matter. Sorry! • Did we say communicate with the inspector?

  15. Deferred Maintenance Water leak Furnace Missing outlet cover Missing smoke detector

  16. How can I avoid an Enforcement Order? • Be Present – know what is going on at your property, the only way you can do that is to be there • Be a good neighbor • Communicate with your tenants • Respond to your tenants

  17. Housing Court • So you didn’t comply with the order and now you have to go court….. • Do I need an attorney? • If you own the property in an LLC – YES • Preliminary Injunction • Contempt

  18. Lead Paint • Letters of Compliance • How do I know if my house has one? www.webapps.ehs.state.ma.us/leadsafehomes/ Post Compliance Assessment Determination PCAD – what is it?

  19. Lead Paint cont. • An order to correct a lead paint violation, now what?

  20. Contact Information 25 Meade Street, Worcester Ma 01610 508-799-1198 main number 508-799-8544 facsimile Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm Inspections@worcesterma.gov

  21. Customer Service • 508-929-1300 • 24/7 reporting for non emergency issues • In case of an emergency dial 911

  22. Customer Service • 508-929-1300 • 24/7 reporting for non emergency issues • In case of an emergency dial 911

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