Concord Condominium trustees urge town action after hoarding and pest complaints; town says health department and courts limit immediate intervention

At the June 24 Select Board meeting, trustees and unit owners at the Concord Condominium in Brookline described an ongoing hoarding situation that they say has triggered repeated pest infestations and created uninhabitable conditions in one unit.

Richard Rubin, a Concord Condominium owner and trustee, and trustee Elaine Quieshen described previous interventions for pests and hoarding dating back to 2008 and 2018 and said a recent condemnation order was posted on the unit door in May. Residents said they have pressed the town to enforce the health code and remove the unit’s occupant to allow remediation.

Town officials responded that, under state and local procedures, the health commissioner cannot lawfully enter and remediate an owner‑occupied unit without a court order. The Town Administrator said town counsel had discussed the case with the condominium’s attorneys and that the condo association pursued a court order; a judge gave the unit owner 20 days to comply, and that enforcement window expired as of the Select Board meeting. If the owner fails to comply, the condo association can seek enforcement through the sheriff to vacate the unit temporarily so remediation can proceed, the administrator said.

Health Commissioner Sagal Reese (the town’s local public health official) was identified in the meeting as the town commissioner handling the matter; the administrator said Reese is leaving July 4 and an interim commissioner will follow. Town staff said they will continue to work with the condo association’s attorneys and follow up with residents by email. The Select Board did not vote on enforcement at the meeting.