Public Lodging Houses

Definition

[General Laws, Chapter 140, sections 33, 35, 38, 40.]

Section 33. In cities of over fifty thousand inhabitants every building not licensed as an inn, in which ten or more persons are lodged free or for a charge of twenty-five cents or less for each person for a day of twenty-four hours, or for any part thereof, shall be deemed a public lodging house within the meaning of sections thirty-four to forty, inclusive. No building or part thereof erected, altered or converted to be used as such a public lodging house shall have the sleeping compartments arranged on the cubicle plan.

[1894, c. 414, Sect. 1; 1904, c. 242, Sects. 1, 8; 1911, c. 129; 1915, c. 160, Sect. 1.]

Inspection of Means of Escape from Fire

Sect. 35. No such license shall be granted in any such city until the inspector of buildings thereof, or the other officer or board having authority to administer the laws and ordinances in regard to the construction of buildings therein, has certified that the building, if it has eight or more rooms or ten or more persons are accommodated above the second story, complies with the requirements of chapter one hundred and forty-three, and in other cases is provided with sufficient means of escape in case of fire, and that suitable appliances are provided for extinguishing fires and for giving alarm to the inmates in case of fire; and such officer or board may from time to time require such alterations to be made or such additional appliances to be provided as may in his or its judgment be necessary for the protection of life and property in case of fire. [1894, c. 414, Sect. 3; 1904, c. 242, Sects. 3, 8; 1913, 655, Sect. 20].

(For penalty see Sect. 40.)

Access for Purposes of Inspection

Sect. 38. The keeper of every public lodging house shall at all times, when so required by an officer of the building department, of the health department, or of the police departmeng, give him free access to said house or any part thereof.

[1894, c. 414, Sect. 6; 1904, c. 242, Sects. 6, 8.] [For penalty, see Sect. 40.]

Penalty

Sect. 40. Any keeper of a public lodging house who violates any provision of sections thirty-five to thirty-eight, inclusive, shall be punished by a fine of one hundred dollars.

[1894, c. 414, Sect. 7; 1904, c. 242, Sects. 7, 8.]