Session Laws

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

SECTION 1. Chapter 139 of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out section 1, as most recently amended by section 2 of chapter 649 of the acts of 1970, and inserting in place thereof the following section:-

Section 1. The aldermen or selectmen in any city or town may, after written notice to the owner of a burnt, dilapidated or dangerous building or other structure, or his authorized agent, or to the owner of a vacant parcel of land, and after a hearing, make and record an order adjudging it to be a nuisance to the neighborhood, or dangerous, and prescribing its disposition, alteration or regulation. The city or town clerk shall deliver a copy of the order to an officer qualified to serve civil process, who shall forthwith serve an attested copy thereof in the manner prescribed in section one hundred and twenty-four of chapter one hundred and eleven, and make return to said clerk of his doings thereon.

SECTION 2. Section 3A of said chapter 139, inserted by section 4 of said chapter 649, is hereby amended by striking out the first paragraph and inserting in place thereof the following paragraph:-

If the owner or his authorized agent fails to comply with an order issued pursuant to section three and the city or town demolishes or removes any burnt, dangerous or dilapidated building or structure or secures any vacant parcel of land from a trespass, a claim for the expense of such demolition or removal, including the cost of leveling the lot to uniform grade by a proper sanitary fill, or securing such vacant parcel shall constitute a debt due the city or town upon the completion of demolition, removal, or securing and the rendering of an account therefor to the owner or his authorized agent, and shall be recoverable from such owner in an action of contract.