City Issues ‘Stop Work’ Orders at Three Building Projects

Haverhill City Hall. (WHAV News file photograph.)

An ongoing crackdown on unpermitted building projects in Haverhill lead to three “stop work” orders being issued this past weekend.

The three projects, with work being performed without a building permit, are being posted Monday, said Haverhill Director of Inspectional Services Richard MacDonald. On Saturday, MacDonald informed Mayor James J. Fiorentini by e-mail those three “large jobs” were verbally ordered stopped and workers left.

“One more had no one on job and building was unoccupied. Will check that one out Monday,” MacDonald wrote. “Two locations checked had permits.” Altogether, contractors at eight work sites face extra fees or fines levied by the city’s health and inspections department.

MacDonald told WHAV other work sites found without a building permit last week included those on Columbia Park, Sixth Avenue, Emerson Street, Kenoza Street and Chestnut St. “The work varied from roofing to porches, to window replacements,” MacDonald said. He did not release the names of the contractors.

“Contractors were the responsible parties on Saturday,” MacDonald added. “Homeowners need to hold their contractors responsible to obtain all necessary permits.”

MacDonald also told WHAV, inspectional services has stopped 31 locations in the last few months that did not have permits.

4 thoughts on “City Issues ‘Stop Work’ Orders at Three Building Projects

  1. I sincerely hope the city building department actually follows through and charges double fees for the lack of building permits and the fees are not forgiven for whatever reason. Not fair at all for offending homeowners not to be charged double if that’s what the decision is. How else is the City to keep track of property improvements?

    • You mean how can the city make sure they rob more taxes from people and not be accountable to how that money is spent? – Yeah, sure.

      • No, that’s not what I mean. Some people make some pretty awful changes to their property and it affects the value of ALL of the properties in the neighborhood so the City HAS to have a way to ensure that “improvements” conform to the norms of the neighborhood.

        I don’t like fees and taxes any more than you do, but in this case the city has to pass judgement on what is appropriate for the neighborhood, else we will, in short order, convert Haverhill into a Shantytown (even more than it is now).