The housing crisis in Massachusetts is leading to safety concerns over illegal apartments—units that people are renting that have no way to escape in case of…
The housing crisis in Massachusetts is leading to safety concerns over illegal apartments—units that people are renting that have no way to escape in case of an emergency.
Firefighters rescued the resident by using a ladder to access the third-floor window. But when they searched for other occupants in what turned out to be an illegal upstairs apartment, two firefighters got lost as smoke filled the home.“Firefighters might’ve been in the house before and having an apartment that doesn’t below there… it’s probably hard to get in there and do their job,” Diaz said. “It’s really unsafe.
As the demand for housing grows and rent prices increase, illegal apartments are on the rise. One set of illegal apartments in Lawrence was found after a fire broke out. Records we obtained showed dozens of illegal apartment violations over the past few years. Within the inspection reports, photos illustrated the safety concerns and fire hazards of units tucked into nooks and crannies of homes.Inspectors documented kitchens with no ventilation, bedrooms with no egress, disabled smoke detectors, and tangles of wires and extension cords.
Arleny Almonte, a code inspector in Lawrence, said that is an intentional approach to encourage an open dialogue with property owners.Almonte added there is often miseducation and language barriers tied to the illegal units. They want property owners to not be afraid to ask if their apartments are up to standards.
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