Boston Receives Hundreds Of Housing Complaints During Move-In Weekend
BOSTON (CBS)- The City of Boston says it received hundreds of housing complaints over the weekend as apartment leases turned over.
Just days before the start of the Fall college semester, scores of students found issues with their new homes.
Boston's Inspectional Services Department spent months preparing for move-in week. They encouraged outgoing tenants to report problem spots, and they ramped up patrols during the turnover. Inspectors walked neighborhoods handing out information pamphlets and answering questions.
"One of the things that sort of drove this was a fire in Allston earlier this year where two people had to jump from a building," said Bryan Glascock, Commissioner of Inspectional Services.
In Mission Hill, Glascock's team called in EMS to pick up needles. Nearby, they found dead rats in the street.
In the Fenway, code enforcers wrote tickets when they found massive piles of trash. Inspectors hope college students will call them with any complaints.
"Maybe it's their first time away from home and they don't know how to negotiate with landlords and management companies. They don't know how to be good advocates for themselves," said Glascock.
The Commissioner says the burden is on landlords to report when units are turning over, but renters can always get an inspector to come out by calling (617) 635-4500.
