Springfield, Mass., Code of Bylaws ch 235 § 235-5
Enforcement; violations and penalties (Springfield Lodging and Rooming Houses)
Operative Text
A. The Building Department and the Housing Code Enforcement Department, acting independently or jointly, shall have the authority to enforce the provisions of this article and shall cause to be filed with either the District Court or the Housing Court in Hampden County such complaints, either civil or criminal, as will, in their judgment, be in the best interest of the enforcement and shall cause to be served upon the person or persons in violation of this article such notice of the proceedings as prescribed by law and the rules of the court where said complaint is brought. B. If the Police, Building or the Housing Code Enforcement Department receives more than five written complaints regarding any particular property, an inspection shall be conducted by said department, and a hearing shall be held with the property owner to determine whether the license shall be revoked as set forth in § 235-4 . C. The Building Department or the Housing Code Enforcement Department may, pursuant to § 1-25 , dispose of said violation by issuance of a ticket in the amount set forth below. D. Any person failing to comply with the provisions of this article shall be subject to a fine of $100 for the first violation and $50 per day for as long as said violation shall continue within said one-year period; and the sum of $200 per day for any violation thereafter and be further subjected to such order of restraint as the enforcing department shall deem necessary to compel compliance with this article. Any person, after receiving said license, who is found to have falsified information in order to obtain said license or otherwise altered the conditions upon which said license was issued shall have rendered said license null and void and thereby fails to comply with this article.
Springfield, Mass., Code of Bylaws CH. 235 § 235-5 establishes a dual-agency enforcement framework under which the Building Department and the Housing Code Enforcement Department — acting alone or together — may bring civil or criminal complaints in Hampden County District or Housing Court against parties who violate the article. When either department receives more than five written complaints about a specific property, an inspection and owner hearing are triggered to evaluate potential license revocation. Financial penalties begin at $100 for a first violation and escalate to $50 per day for continued violations within the same year, then $200 per day for any subsequent violations. Falsifying or altering the conditions of a license renders that license void under this provision.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under CH. 235 § 235-5, compliant property operators in Springfield generally maintain accurate licensing information and promptly address any conditions that could generate written complaints, since five or more complaints about a single property trigger a mandatory inspection and a hearing that can lead to license revocation. Operators typically keep records demonstrating ongoing compliance so that, if a ticket is issued pursuant to § 1-25, they can show corrective action was taken quickly — because daily fines of $50 (and $200 per day for repeat violations) accumulate as long as a violation continues. Providing false information on a license application or altering the conditions under which a license was granted voids the license entirely under this section.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
CH. 235 § 235-5 gives tenants a concrete mechanism for escalating concerns: written complaints submitted to the Building Department or the Housing Code Enforcement Department count toward the five-complaint threshold that mandates a property inspection and an owner hearing regarding potential license revocation. Tenants who believe a property is operating in violation of the article may document their complaints in writing and retain copies, as the accumulation of complaints is what activates the inspection requirement under this provision. Tenant-rights organizations in the Springfield area can help residents understand how to submit complaints effectively and what to expect from the District Court or Housing Court process in Hampden County.
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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