Property Maintenance in Revere, MA

If you live in Revere or are thinking about moving there, property maintenance are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Revere has 3 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of property maintenance, and some of them might surprise you.

Property Blight

Revere requires owners of vacant commercial or residential buildings to register with the Department of Municipal Inspections within 30 days and pay an annual fee that climbs from $500 to $3,000 for homes and $1,500 to $9,000 for commercial buildings, the longer the building sits empty. Failing to register or pay draws a $300-per-day fine under Chapter 8.05.

Key details: Registration deadline: 30 days after becoming vacant. Residential fee range: $500 to $3,000 annually. Commercial fee range: $1,500 to $9,000 annually. Annual fee due date: November 15. Noncompliance penalty: Up to $300 per offense/day.

An owner who never registers a vacant building, or who misses the November 15 fee deadline, faces a fine of up to $300 per offense under Section 8.05.080, with every day the violation continues counted separately. Unpaid fees become a lien against the property. An owner can appeal a fee to the Revere Board of Health within 15 days of the billing statement, limited to whether and how long the building has been vacant, and must post a $50 nonrefundable appeal fee.

Compared to other cities, Revere takes a harder line on property blight. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Vacant Lot Maintenance

Revere Municipal Code Section 8.04.021 makes it a health code violation for any landowner to let the exterior of real property sit in an unclean and unsanitary condition, including overgrown grass and weeds, subject to the general penalty framework in Chapters 1.12 and 1.16.

Key details: Violation trigger: unclean/unsanitary exterior, incl. overgrown weeds. Applies to: any landowner, any real property. Default penalty: up to $300 per offense. Noncriminal track penalty: $25 to $500 per offense. Unpaid fines: can become a lien on the property.

The default penalty is up to $300 per offense under Section 1.16.010, or $25 to $500 per offense if pursued through noncriminal disposition under Section 1.12.190, with a jump to $500 if a demand letter goes unanswered. Each day the overgrown or unsanitary condition continues is a separate offense, and unpaid health code fines can become a lien on the property.

Snow & Sidewalk Clearing

Property owners in Revere must clear snow and slush from the sidewalk abutting their land within 24 hours after a snowfall ends, opening a path at least 36 inches wide. Ice gets the same 24-hour deadline, and any ice that can't be fully removed must be covered with sand or salt. The Department of Inspectional Services enforces the rule, though owners 65 or older or disabled are exempt.

Key details: Snow/slush deadline: 24 hours after snowfall ends. Ice deadline: 24 hours after ice forms. Minimum cleared path: 36 inches wide. Enforcing agency: Dept. of Inspectional Services. Exemption: Owner-occupants 65+ or disabled.

Failure to clear the required path by the 24-hour deadline is enforced by the Department of Inspectional Services through the noncriminal disposition procedure in Title 1, Chapter 1.12, Article III (Sections 1.12.100-1.12.190), authorized by M.G.L. c. 40U. The duty runs with ownership and cannot be shifted to a tenant by lease. Owner-occupants 65 or older, or who are disabled, are exempt from enforcement and penalties under Section 12.04.354(D).

The Bottom Line

Revere's property maintenance rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Revere is broadly strict or permissive.

These rules come from Revere's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.