Inspection Services urges Lynn commission to require lodging-house licensing after inspections find overcrowding and safety concerns

Inspection Services told the Lynn City Licensing Commission that routine inspections and tenant complaints have uncovered properties that appear to be operating as lodging houses or sober homes without required licensing and with potential public-safety and sanitary-code violations.

The inspection representative said many properties—possibly hundreds, according to the department’s view—are being used to rent rooms to individuals and that some units have padlocks on bedroom doors, overcrowded basements and attics, inadequate egress, and poor sanitary conditions. Under state law as described in the meeting, a dwelling with six or more unrelated persons may meet the city’s definition of a lodging house and therefore require a lodging-house license and inspections.

Why this matters: Unlicensed lodging houses with overcrowding, insufficient egress, or inadequate heat and sanitation can create public-safety hazards and expose the city to liability if officials have knowledge of unsafe conditions and do not act. Requiring licensing would enable more frequent inspections and fire-safety reviews.

Key points from the discussion -…