Newton, Mass., City Ordinances §§ 20-148–20-159 § 20-156
Responsibilities of Licensees and Agents regarding Property Maintenance & Management
Operative Text
(a) Egress from and Access to Building. Licensees and Agents shall be responsible for ensuring that adequate
egress is provided. A minimum of two means of egress shall be provided from each occupied story of a lodging
house. No private room shall be used as access to a required fire escape except that additional egress shall be
provided to E-SROs in accordance with Sec. 17-140.
Licensees and Agents shall promptly remove any obstacle that may interfere with the means of egress or escape
from any building or other premises, or access to any part of the building or premises by the fire department.
Doors and windows designated as exits shall be kept clear at all times.
(b) Egress Route Information. Licensees and Agents shall be responsible for ensuring that egress routes are
clearly marked and identified.
Licensees or Agents shall establish and post an Evacuation Plan in compliance with the National Fire Protection
Association Protocol for residential occupancies on all levels of the building and near all exits. The facility is
required to conduct at least four Evacuation Drills a year held quarterly and submit documentation to Fire
Prevention showing that they have been done.
Licensees or Agents shall ensure that exit signs and emergency lighting along the egress routes are in good
working order at all times.
Newton Ordinances On-Line - Chapter 20 - page 40
§ 20-157 NEWTON ORDINANCES —MISCELLANEOUS ORDINANCES § 20-157
(c) Maintenance. The building and all parts thereof shall be kept in good general repair and properly
maintained.Section 20-156 of Newton, Mass., City Ordinances ch. 20 arts. VIII–IX establishes that lodging houses must maintain at least two means of egress from every occupied floor, keep all exit doors and windows unobstructed at all times, and ensure that egress routes are clearly marked with functioning exit signs and emergency lighting. Operators are required to post an Evacuation Plan that meets National Fire Protection Association standards on every level and near every exit, and to conduct at least four quarterly evacuation drills per year with documentation submitted to Fire Prevention. The provision also requires that the building and all its parts be kept in good general repair and properly maintained.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 20-156, compliant lodging house operators and their agents routinely inspect all egress pathways to confirm they are free of obstacles, verify that exit signs and emergency lighting are operational, and keep records of those inspections. They post NFPA-compliant Evacuation Plans on every floor and near every exit, schedule four quarterly evacuation drills annually, and submit the required documentation to the Newton Fire Prevention office. Ongoing building maintenance—addressing repairs promptly so that the structure and all its components remain in good general repair—is also a core obligation under this section.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 20-156 gives residents of Newton lodging houses the right to live in a building where egress routes are always clear, properly marked, and equipped with working exit signs and emergency lighting, and where the building itself is kept in good repair. If exits appear blocked, evacuation plans are missing, drills are not being conducted, or maintenance is neglected, these conditions may constitute violations of this provision that can be reported to the relevant Newton enforcement authority, such as the Fire Prevention office or the city's inspectional services department. Tenant-rights organizations familiar with Newton housing regulations can help residents understand the options available when conditions under § 20-156 are not being met.
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.
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