A trouble-plagued Fenway rooming house has received a stay of execution because although the city’s Licensing Board voted to indefinitely suspend its license on Tuesday, May 5, that determination will be held in abeyance for six months and only served in the event that the property receives a subsequent violation due to its mismanagement.
Boston Police responded to the 60-room Boston Fenway Inn by FOUND at 12 Hemenway St. multiple times last month, including responding to a call for a fight on April 4; responding to a call to investigate a person on April 8; responding to a call to assist with a removal and failure to follow a non-essential business order on April 12; responding to a call to investigate a person, also on April 12; responding to a call for a noise disturbance on April 15; responding to a call for an assault and battery with a deadly weapon, patron-on-patron assault by means of a dangerous weapon and failure to notify police on April 23; and a patron drinking alcohol on a public sidewalk in front of the building on April 29.
The rooming house’s licensee, a subsidiary of Los Angeles-based Hawkins Way Capital, has submitted an updated safety plan to the Licensing Board that was obtained by this publication and outlines heightened precautions management is now undertaking.
These new safety measures, which were implemented the week ending May 8, include installing three additional video cameras on the premises, updating data storage so security footage can be maintained for a 30-day period and implementing hourly walk-throughs by staff to discourage loitering on the property; requiring incoming guests to display property-issued ID badges that prove they are registered and within their approved stay period; posting additional signage inside and outside the building instructing no loitering, no visitors permitted in rooms and no non-registered guests allowed in the building, no drugs and no drinking of any beverages in public areas; closing the guest laundry facilities until further notice; and prohibiting guests from storing any food items in a shared refrigerator.