Rental Housing

Housing:

The Health Department enforces Article II of the State Sanitary Code: Minimum Standards of Fitness for Human Habitation. The code provides detailed standards for safe and sanitary housing...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, to assist the board of health in their enforcement of this code, and to provide a method of notifying persons of conditions which require immediate attention.

The role of the Health Department in enforcing these regulations is as follows:

• Conduct housing inspections upon request to determine if violations of the State Sanitary Code exist.
• Report findings of inspections to the property owner and tenant, and issue orders to correct the violations to the appropriate party.
• Afford the property owner or tenant a hearing with the Board of Health and initiate judicial proceedings if the cited owner/tenant fails to obey the order.
• Conduct a re-inspection at the property and issue a compliance letter if all violations are remedied.

Complaints of substandard housing conditions can be made by contacting the Health Department at (978)374-2325, Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:00pm. or by logging into the Viewcloud System in the Health Module there is a Complaint Form that can be electronically filled out.

In addition to the State Code, the Health Department has adopted local regulations that pertain to housing:

•  Domestic Animals, Poultry or Fowl
•  Animal Constituting a Nuisance
•  Regulation of Private Water Supplies
•  Adoption of State Regulations on Hot Tubs and/or Special Pools
•  Extermination of Vermin
•  Dual Check Backflow Preventer
•  Abrasive Blasting
•  Pesticide
•  Rental Regulations
•  Fines for Condemned Housing
•  Dumpster Regulations
•  Lead Water Service Notification
•  Litter, Garbage and Refuse

The above regulations are on file in the Health Department

Rentals

Owners/Managers of rental property must obtain a rental permit from the Health Department prior to the dwelling unit being occupied unless the unit has been inspected by Section 8, Elderly Subsidized Housing, and it does not have any cited violations outstanding. This is a local regulation that was adopted by the Board of Health to ensure that tenants are moving into housing that meets the Minimum Standard of Fitness For Human Habitation as defined in the State Sanitary Code.

Prior to Scheduling an appointment for a dwelling unit to be inspected, owner/managers of property should make certain of the following:

•  City water and wastewater bills are current, or that a signed contract with the Water Department for scheduled payment is on file.
•  Real estate taxes must be current.
•  Dwelling units must conform to the Fire Department's requirements relative to smoke detector certificates. They must be current.
•  Dwelling units must be in "move in condition", i.e.. vacant, clean, walls painted, appliances clean, bathroom fixtures of a smooth impervious material, floors, walls and ceilings in good condition.

Owners/Managers who fail to obtain a rental permit prior to renting a dwelling unit are liable for a $200 a day fine for each and every day that unit is occupied without the permit.

Appointments can be made by logging into the on-line permit center.

The Board of Health, City of Haverhill, on August 15, 1978, in accordance with and under the authority granted by Section 31, of Chapter III of the Massachusetts General Laws promulgated and adopted the "Change of Occupancy Regulation". On August 13, 2002 the Board of Health amended the regulation as follows:

Each time a dwelling unit, apartment or tenement, that was used for rental purposes, is vacated, then that dwelling unit, apartment or tenement shall be inspected by the Board of Health to determine if it meets the standards set forth in the State Sanitary Code, Article

II, "MINIMUM STANDARDS OF FITNESS FOR HUMAN HABITATION"

as promulgated and from time to time amended by the Department of Public Health of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, under the authority of General Laws,

Chapter III, Section 127-A.

Any owner of such property used for rental purposes failing to comply with this regulation shall pay a fine of $200.00. It will be deemed a violation of this regulation if any person or persons are allowed to live, occupy or inhabit the said premises without having received a certificate of fitness for human habitation from the Board of Health, Division of Code Enforcement.

For each subsequent day there exists a failure to comply with these regulations, it shall constitute a separate offense, and said fine of $200.00 shall apply for each subsequent offense.

Tenants will be responsible to maintain their dwelling unit in a satisfactory condition and periodic inspections may be carried out by the Board of Health to ascertain compliance.

A $40.00 inspection fee for rental permits is required.

Exemptions: All units that are inspected for Section 8 Housing.

Property owners/managers are required to submit to this office copies of Section 8 certificates prior to renting the unit.

All subsidized units that are inspected annually which must meet specific federal government criteria.

RENTERS AND LANDLORDS: If you’re a renter having trouble paying your rent, utilities, or other housing costs – or if you’re a landlord trying to stay afloat with tenants in this situation – help may be available. State and local programs are distributing billions of dollars in rental assistance to help renters stay housed during the pandemic.

Visit the CFPB’s Rental Assistance Finder to find out what this means for you and what you can do.  The CFPB’s site also includes resources to help renters and landlords understand other resources to help navigate various financial hardships related to the pandemic. 

Other Eviction Protection Links: 

https://www.consumerfinance.gov/coronavirus/mortgage-and-housing-assistance/renter-protections/find-help-with-rent-and-utilities/?utm_source=vanity&utm_medium=outreach&utm_campaign=renthelp

https://evictionlab.org/covid-eviction-policies/

HOMEOWNERS: There are still FHA borrowers who are at least 60-days delinquent on their mortgage who have not sought assistance to avoid foreclosure proceedings. HUD is seeking your assistance in communicating the availability of COVID-19 forbearance relief for delinquent FHA borrowers.