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Quincy Council adopts ordinance allowing liens for unpaid inspectional services and health fines, 7-1
Summary
The City Council voted to authorize tax liens on unpaid fines from the Inspectional Services and Health departments under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 40, Section 58, giving the city a new tool to collect charges on blighted or code-violating properties.
The Quincy City Council voted to adopt an ordinance implementing Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 40, Section 58 to allow the city to place municipal liens on unpaid fines and charges issued by Inspectional Services and the Health Department. The ordinance passed on a roll-call vote, 7–1.
Treasurer and Tax Collector Molly told the council the change will add a collection tool similar to existing water liens and help the city collect fines tied to blighted properties and unsafe or illegal living arrangements. “What we’re looking at here is any uncollected fine,” Molly said, citing an example of a parcel with more than $13,000 in unpaid fines for illegally created spaces, lack of fire detection and missing emergency egress.
Councilors expressed support and asked procedural questions about implementation. Councilor Devine said the measure should reduce the need for repeated court actions by Inspectional Services and free that office to focus on enforcement. Councilor McCarthy asked whether the lien authority would apply retroactively to outstanding fines and Molly replied that the intent is to place liens on existing unpaid fines once the ordinance is in effect and that the city will develop a process and thresholds with Inspectional Services and the Health Department.
Councilor Yang moved approval; Councilor Campbell seconded. The roll-call vote recorded seven votes in favor and one against. President King voted no.
Molly said the tax office will work with Inspectional Services to set practical thresholds — such as a minimum dollar amount or a length of time unpaid — to avoid using resources to collect very small fines, and to avoid duplicative work when fines already are being pursued in court. She said the city logs notes in its accounting software and will coordinate internally so fines in OpenGov and other department systems can be matched to tax records.
Councilors asked about non-owner-occupied properties and absentee landlords; Molly said a substantial share of problem properties are vacant or owner-occupied by owners who live outside Quincy and that this new lien authority will give the city more leverage to enforce property maintenance and health standards.
The ordinance was read as agenda item 2025‑049 and is intended to let the tax collector place municipal charges on real estate bills to facilitate collection if fines remain unpaid.
