Boston (a.k.a. Overcrowding and Upkeep)

[x242Steve 1]

With today's fatal/close-call fire on St. Mary's St and the recent double-fatal fire on Aberdeen St, when is the City of Boston finally going to crack down on the slum lords that rent shoddy old buildings to (mainly) college students?

As a former card-holding member of the teeming party community in the Allston section of town, I have seen first hand the incredibly dangerous conditions that exist when 9 to 12 (sometimes more) students/young adults occupy a 3-story wood-frame.

The standard set up is 3 floors, 3 apartments, main common stairwell running up the front from the porch, smaller common rear stairway running from the basement to the 3rd floor, and usually wooden decks built off any number of floors in the front and/or back.

Fire escapes required? No.

Colleges reminding students about smoke/CO detectors? No.

Land-lords making speedy repairs to dangerous situations? Unusual.

How about fire marshals patrolling certain areas on Thursday/Friday/Saturday nights? Unseen by me from 9/99-5/03

I guarantee you if you check 4 houses on Wadsworth Street this weekend, you will find at least 2 basements filled with dozens of kids dispensing a green beverage for $5 a cup... and the only way in is the same way out: A narrow wooden staircase. I used to frequent one house where they had lined the ceiling of the basement with aluminum foil to enhance the disco-type lighting that was set up. I dunno about you, but when I clean a gas grill, I throw aluminum foil over the grates to intensify and seal in the heat so the grease cooks off.

I personally have attended house parties where the "standard" bldg that I mentioned was literally overflowing with people... Floor loads, anyone?

I went to school in Boston when the Seton Hall fire occurred... as I recall, the university sent out a mass e-mail with a few fire safety reminders.

I don't want to be a kill-joy about the house parties, although its amazing that there hasn't been a Coconut Grove-style incident at a Boston house party. My point was originally about the absentee landlords and the fact that leases turn over every September and no one is checking the integrity of these abused buildings.

Anyhow, that's what I have to say about that, for now. I realize problems like this exist everywhere, and that "college students" could easily be replaced with "immigrant families". Just using personal experiences to try and get a nice snow day discussion going.

Edited March 16, 2007 by 242steve

[IzzyEng4 427]

Just to correct you the St. Mary's St fire was in Brookline, not Boston, but yes there is a major problem up there in all in all the towns.

The problem is the types of construction up there and of course do we ask "when was the last inspection on a OMD?" The worst fires I have seen up there when I have buffed the "MetroFire" area at those dam triple-deckers (three story flat construction homes / balloon frame). There are too many old rule buildings that get "exempt" and the cities up there have to do something about it, no question about that.