RR
Rent Regulations

Lawrence Code of Ordinances ch. 8.20 § 8.20.120

Costs

In Force
Verified 9/13/2026 · Next check 12/12/2026
LawrenceHabitability & Repair

Operative Text

Lawrence Code of Ordinances ch. 8.20 § 8.20.120
The owner of the property shall be responsible under section 125 of chapter 111 of the General Laws for any costs to which the municipality is exposed in abating the violations of this chapter and said commissioner of inspectional services shall, on behalf of the board of health, seek recovery in contract for said costs and may further lien the premises as provided for in General Laws, chapter 111, section 125.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Lawrence Code of Ordinances ch. 8.20 § 8.20.120 establishes that when the city steps in to correct housing violations under this chapter, the financial burden falls on the property owner rather than the municipality. The Commissioner of Inspectional Services is authorized to pursue repayment of those abatement costs through a contract-based legal claim on behalf of the Board of Health. Beyond a direct lawsuit, the city may also place a lien on the property itself as a mechanism for securing repayment, following the procedures set out in Massachusetts General Laws ch. 111, § 125.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on September 13, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under Lawrence Code of Ordinances ch. 8.20 § 8.20.120, property owners who allow housing violations to go unaddressed risk having the city perform the abatement work and then seek full cost recovery. Compliant operators generally resolve violations promptly upon notice, avoiding a situation where the Commissioner of Inspectional Services pursues a contract claim or records a lien against the property. A lien can affect the owner's ability to sell or refinance the property, making timely remediation a standard part of responsible property management in Lawrence.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

Lawrence Code of Ordinances ch. 8.20 § 8.20.120 is primarily directed at property owners, but it has practical significance for tenants because it gives the city a financial enforcement tool when violations go unaddressed. If a landlord fails to correct housing code violations, the city's authority to abate and recover costs—including placing a lien on the property—can serve as additional pressure for compliance. Tenants who believe violations exist may consider reporting conditions to the Lawrence Inspectional Services Department or the Board of Health, or reaching out to a local tenant-rights organization to understand what options may be available under this provision.

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

Click on timeline segments to view historical versions.

References Out

No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.

References In

No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.

Related Rules

§ 127A
State sanitary code; adoption; enforcement; jurisdiction; speedy trial
§ 127B
Dwellings unfit for human habitation; order to vacate or to abate nuisance; removal of occupants; demolition expense, lien; inspection reports; code violations; notices; enforcement proceedings, jurisdiction; appeal
§ 127C
Petition for violation of sanitary code; requisites

Source Information

Source:https://api.municode.com/CodesContent?jobId=405491&nodeId=TIT8HESA_CH8.20BUPRMACO&productId=14860
Snapshot SHA:
Fetched:Sep 13, 2026, 03:28 PM UTC
Raw bytes:Download from R2 →