The Legislative Affairs Subcommittee voted unanimously to recommend that the full Revere City Council seek special legislation permitting the city to impose penalties and liens for violations of rooming-house rules and certificates of fitness (council order 25-269), proponents said would streamline complaints handled by the citys Inspectional Services Department (ISD).

The maker of the motion said ISD currently faces a ‘‘tedious process to enforce rooming-house standards and that quicker remedies would help both residents who file complaints and staff who investigate. "This is just one way of making it a little bit easier for them to enforce this in a more speedy manner," the motion maker said.

Councilor Greeno Sawaya (identified in the transcript as supporting remarks from Ward 5) described repeat problem properties in residential neighborhoods, saying they "ignore our rules, create instability, and disrupt the quality of life for the families who live around them." He said the special act would provide the city with citation authority, an appeals process and a mechanism to collect fines when violations continue.

The subcommittee recorded a unanimous favorable recommendation in a roll call: Councilor Greeno Sawaya, Councilor Haas, Councilor Kelly, Councilor McKenna and Chairman Argencio were recorded as voting "yes." The favorable recommendation sends the request for special legislation to the full council for action.

Supporters framed the measure as enforcement-focused rather than a broad rewrite of rooming-house policy; it is intended to give ISD additional, quicker compliance tools. The motions maker and proponents said it would not answer every question about rooming houses but would help close enforcement gaps cited by residents and inspectors.

The special act will be forwarded to the full council for consideration.