Newton, Mass., City Ordinances §§ 20-148–20-159 § 20-158
Violations
Operative Text
(a) Violations of building, health, or fire code, may result in license review by the Licensing Board. Violation
notices for licensed lodging houses from Inspectional Services, Fire, Police, Health and Human Services,
Treasurer/Collector, and Planning & Development Department, as appropriate, shall be promptly forwarded to the
Licensing Board for consideration.
(b) In addition to the penalties for code and ordinance violations established by the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts and City of Newton, the Licensing Board shall have the authority to issue the following penalties
for violations of these regulations after notice of hearing and opportunity to be heard.
(1) More than three (3) code violations not addressed within 30 days of inspection unless a correction plan is
approved by the Inspectional Services Department or Fire Prevention Bureau as appropriate....... $300 Fine
(2) More vehicles stored on the premises than allowed on the premises by zoning on (3) or more occasions as
recorded by the Inspectional Services Department ......................................................................... $300 Fine
(3) More residents on the premises than allowed on two (2) or more occasions as recorded by the Inspectional
Services Department........................................................................................................................ $300 Fine
Newton Ordinances On-Line - Chapter 20 - page 42
§ 20-159 NEWTON ORDINANCES —MISCELLANEOUS ORDINANCES § 20-159
(4) If two (2) or more of the above fines are warranted in any 12-month period or if three (3) or more of the
above fines are warranted in a 36-month period ................................................ Denial of License Renewal.Section 20-158 of Newton's City Ordinances establishes a layered enforcement framework for licensed lodging houses. Building, health, and fire code violations can trigger license review by the Licensing Board, which receives violation notices from multiple city departments. Beyond standard state and city penalties, the Licensing Board may impose $300 fines for specific recurring infractions—such as unresolved code violations, excess vehicles, or overcrowding—and may deny license renewal when multiple fines accumulate within defined time windows.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators of licensed lodging houses in Newton should be aware that under § 20-158, violation notices from any relevant city department are forwarded directly to the Licensing Board. Compliant operators generally address code violations within 30 days of inspection or obtain an approved correction plan, keep vehicle storage within zoning limits, and maintain occupancy within permitted levels. Accumulating two or more $300 fines within a 12-month period, or three or more within 36 months, can result in denial of license renewal—making timely remediation a core part of ongoing operations.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 20-158 provides tenants in Newton lodging houses with a framework of oversight: violations of building, health, or fire codes are not only subject to standard penalties but are also referred to the Licensing Board, which can impose additional $300 fines and ultimately deny a landlord's license renewal. Tenants who observe persistent code violations, overcrowding, or zoning infractions may report concerns to Inspectional Services, the Fire Department, or other relevant city departments, whose findings feed directly into the Licensing Board's review process. Tenant-rights organizations in Newton or Middlesex County can help residents understand how this provision interacts with their broader housing protections.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 11, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.