City cracks down on Eastie ‘crash pad’
City inspectors uncovered and condemned a makeshift apartment in an East Boston garage that had housed 19 people between two rooms.
“This type of flagrant disregard for the rules and regulations related to the permitting process is unacceptable,” Boston Inspectional Services said in a statement to the Herald.
“It’s unfortunate that we have these types of landlords who are not thinking about the safety of individuals but about how to line their pockets.”
The garage, located at 39 Geneva St., was being used as a “crash pad” for flight attendants, inspectors believe. The owner of the building was identified as Aaron Daigneault, an East Boston realtor. The inhabitants were paying $300 a month in rent, totaling $5,700, according to city documents. Solskinn Properties LLC is named the property management company on documents.
The median cost to rent a two-bedroom apartment in Boston is currently $3,000, according to data collected by Zumper.com.
Photos from the city department’s investigation show a small, two-room unit stacked wall-to-wall with wooden bunk beds and one dresser. A large box fan sat on top of the dresser. The photos show clear signs of
recent habitation: the beds had sheets, pillows, and blankets on them, and a hanger balanced on one bed railing held a bath towel and washcloth.
During their inspection, city workers also uncovered a broken fire alarm, illegally installed toilet, and illegally installed electrical and gas systems. The property had been converted to include a kitchen and bathroom, but had an exposed ceiling and paint cans and gasoline containers strewn about, according to photos and city documents.
In contrast to the hostellike bedrooms, the apartment’s kitchen featured ecosized stainless steel appliances and granite countertops, as well as a shabby chic “BISTRO” sign hung jauntily above the sink.
Inspectors were alerted to the property through an anonymous tip.
The city’s report also showed the dwelling had been listed online as available to rent for a $6,000 monthly fee with the following description:
“Beautiful apartment in fantastic location! Excellent management company. Perfect layout for flexible living options. Must see!”
The building was also listed online at the same price for rent as a commercial property, described as a “wonderful business opportunity” that offered “4,000 sq. ft of working space in this former garage/auto body now being used as warehouse storage.”
The department has “taken control of the property,” according to its report, but will allow inhabitants to return to the building to retrieve their belongings. Daigneault told inspectors he wasn’t aware permits were required for the changes made to the building, and does not face further penalties at this time.