Cambridge Code of Ordinances ch. 8.60 § 8.60.070
Appeals of fines
Operative Text
A. An owner or occupant who is aggrieved by the issuance of a fine or by the failure of the Inspectional Services Department to fine an owner pursuant to this chapter may appeal to the Inspectional Services Department according to the following procedures: 1. An appeal shall be filed within ten days of the date of the action appealed from; 2. The appeal shall be in writing and shall state, in detail, the grounds for the appeal. B. The filing of a timely appeal shall stay the effect of the fine but shall not stay the owner's obligation to repair any violations cited. C. A hearing shall be held on the appeal following the same procedures available in an appeal of the issuance of an order to make repairs which are set out in 105 CMR 410.850 and 410.860, except that any appeal to court shall be governed by the provisions of Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 30A. D. Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect or impair the right to appeal the issuance of an order to make repairs.
Cambridge Code of Ordinances ch. 8.60 § 8.60.070 establishes a formal process by which either an owner or an occupant may challenge a fine issued under this chapter, or challenge the Inspectional Services Department's decision not to issue a fine. A written appeal must be submitted to the Inspectional Services Department within ten days of the disputed action, clearly stating the grounds for the challenge. Filing a timely appeal pauses enforcement of the fine itself, but does not pause any underlying obligation to fix cited violations. Hearings follow the procedures outlined in 105 CMR 410.850 and 410.860, and any further appeal to court is governed by Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 30A.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Cambridge Code of Ordinances ch. 8.60 § 8.60.070, property owners who receive a fine they believe was issued in error have a defined window to respond: a written appeal must reach the Inspectional Services Department within ten days of the action being appealed. Compliant operators typically document the specific factual and legal grounds for their appeal clearly and in detail, and they continue addressing any cited repair violations during the appeal period, since the stay applies only to the fine and not to repair obligations. If the appeal is unsuccessful at the department level, further review is available through the courts under Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 30A.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Cambridge Code of Ordinances ch. 8.60 § 8.60.070 gives occupants, not just owners, the right to appeal a fine issued under this chapter — or to appeal the department's failure to issue a fine against an owner. Tenants who believe the Inspectional Services Department acted incorrectly can file a written appeal within ten days, explaining in detail why the decision was wrong. Tenant-rights organizations in Cambridge can help residents understand this appeal process, and the provision preserves the separate right to appeal any order to make repairs, meaning these two appeal paths remain independent of each other.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 13, 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.