Chapter 23B of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting the following section:-

Section 31. There shall be within the executive office of housing and livable communities an office of tenant protections. The secretary of housing and livable communities shall appoint a director of the office who shall serve at the pleasure of the secretary.

The office shall: (1) enforce, concurrent with the commissioner of public health and local boards of health, the minimum standards of fitness for human habitation as defined by 105 CMR 410.000 (State Sanitary Code, Chapter II); (2) have the powers necessary to enforce the standards set forth in subsection (1) including: (i) the power to inspect residences as defined by 105 CMR 410.010, (ii) the power to issue and serve orders of noncompliance with the minimum standards of fitness for human habitation, (iii) the power to hold hearings on the orders mentioned in clause (ii), (iv) the power to issue fines for violations 105 CMR 410.000 in accordance with 105 CMR 400.700 (3) enforce compliance with 940 CMR 3.17

Final decisions on noncompliance shall be subject to judicial appeal in the same manner as those made by boards of health under 105 CMR 400.600.

The executive office of housing and livable communities shall promulgate regulations or guidance to carry out this section.