Filings Year Ending 2021 December 31

Residential summary process: Filings Report This report examines cases filed recently before reading, for which outcomes were largely unknown. Search Period Start: 2021-01-01 Search Period End: 2021-12-31 Earliest Case: 2021-01-04 Latest Case: 2021-12-31 Total Cases: 22792 Total Transfers: 700 -- High-level take-aways: Percentage of landlords for whom attorney is optional: 34.2% Of those, percentage pro se: 51.0% Most common cause: Non-payment Least stable municipality/neighborhood: West Hyannisport Least stable with 10+ filings: East Falmouth Least stable with 100+ filings: Fall River Least stable county: Bristol Cases per day: 62 Housing crisis baseline max cases per day (UCL): 130 Housing crisis baseline min cases per day (LCL): 44 The number of filings this period is not statistically different from the pre-pandemic housing crisis baseline. -- Courts (n) Count Percent northeast 4136 18.1% central 3864 17.0% western 3631 15.9% southeast 3230 14.2% eastern 2889 12.7% metro_south 2021 8.9% quincy district 294 1.3% lynn district 180 0.8% malden district 173 0.8% pittsfield district 163 0.7% fall river district 151 0.7% chelsea district 122 0.5% cambridge district 113 0.5% northern berkshire district 112 0.5% somerville district 97 0.4% waltham district 94 0.4% lowell district 85 0.4% barnstable district 84 0.4% brockton district 78 0.3% attleboro district 71 0.3% woburn district 69 0.3% fallmouth district 68 0.3% bmc west roxbury 65 0.3% framingham district 65 0.3% lawrence district 61 0.3% bmc east boston 56 0.2% orleans district 53 0.2% springfield district 49 0.2% peabody district 47 0.2% haverhill district 46 0.2% dedham district 37 0.2% new bedford district 37 0.2% plymouth district 34 0.1% taunton district 33 0.1% newburyport district 31 0.1% wrentham district 31 0.1% ayer district 30 0.1% wareham district 29 0.1% palmer district 28 0.1% salem district 27 0.1% milford district 26 0.1% nantucket district 24 0.1% hingham district 21 0.1% westfield district 21 0.1% stoughton district 20 0.1% bmc brighton 16 0.1% edgartown district 15 0.1% newton district 15 0.1% southern berkshire district 15 0.1% bmc central 12 0.1% eastern hampshire district 12 0.1% holyoke district 12 0.1% concord district 11 0.0% gloucester district 10 0.0% clinton district 9 0.0% worcester district 9 0.0% orange district 8 0.0% uxbridge district 8 0.0% brookline district 7 0.0% chicopee district 7 0.0% bmc roxbury 6 0.0% leominster district 6 0.0% greenfield district 4 0.0% northampton district 4 0.0% bmc charlestown 2 0.0% bmc south boston 2 0.0% marlborough district 2 0.0% bmc dorchester 1 0.0% ipswich district 1 0.0% natick district 1 0.0% westborough district 1 0.0% Party Type (n) Plaintiffs Defendants Corporate Entity 14990 78 Natural Person 7802 22714 Total 22792 22792 (%) Plaintiffs Defendants Corporate Entity 65.8% 0.3% Natural Person 34.2% 99.7% Total 100.0% 100.0% Plaintiff Representation (n) Has Attorney Pro Se Total Required 14465 525 14990 Optional 3823 3979 7802 Total 18288 4504 22792 (%) Has Attorney Pro Se Total Required 63.5% 2.3% 65.8% Optional 16.8% 17.5% 34.2% Total 80.2% 19.8% 100.0% Defendant Representation Important: Defendants will not have an attorney known to the plaintiff at time of filing unless this is an ongoing matter. 100% pro se is to be expected in all filing reports except to the extent time passes between filing and staff review. See outcomes report for final assessment. (n) Has Attorney Pro Se Total Required 9 69 78 Optional 430 22284 22714 Total 439 22353 22792 (%) Has Attorney Pro Se Total Required 0.0% 0.3% 0.3% Optional 1.9% 97.8% 99.7% Total 1.9% 98.1% 100.0% Number of Adults in Households Count Percent 0 1627 7.1% 1 15852 69.6% 2 4274 18.8% 3 705 3.1% 4 235 1.0% 5 70 0.3% 6 17 0.1% 7 2 0.0% 8 3 0.0% 9 2 0.0% 10 1 0.0% 11 2 0.0% 12 1 0.0% 13 1 0.0% Total 22792 100.0% Note: Households may appear with zero adults due to clerical delay entering known defendants, identity protection obscuring known defendants (e.g., 42 USC Sections 13701 through 1404 Violence Against Women Act), or no adult defendants (e.g., abandonment of minors). Initiating Action Count Percent Non-payment 13829 60.7% Cause 4262 18.7% No Fault 3943 17.3% Unknown/Other 557 2.4% Foreclosure 201 0.9% Rate per 100,000 Municipality Residents Count West Hyannisport 2777 5 Woronoco 1801 2 Wendell Depot 1111 1 East Falmouth 1054 61 Fall River 1050 933 New Bedford 895 851 North Adams 787 108 Fitchburg 768 310 Worcester 745 1350 Southbridge 717 120 Gardner 692 140 Framingham 663 453 Marlborough 654 252 Randolph 641 206 Hyannis 631 89 Athol 621 72 Dennis Port 600 19 Pocasset 587 17 Chestnut Hill 565 12 Hyde Park 553 185 Lawrence 548 419 Brockton 539 506 West Yarmouth 531 28 Lowell 516 550 Revere 473 245 Ayer 471 35 Webster 471 79 Chelsea 449 158 Norwood 447 128 Taunton 445 249 Provincetown 441 13 Buzzards Bay 437 15 Gilbertville 434 5 Pittsfield 433 194 Thorndike 433 3 Baldwinville 422 8 Florence 421 4 Milford 417 117 Whitinsville 417 29 Quincy 415 383 West Dennis 413 9 Dorchester 408 376 Haverhill 407 248 East Sandwich 402 14 Hardwick 401 12 Adams 388 33 Rockland 383 67 Vineyard Haven 370 7 Braintree 360 129 Clinton 360 49 Leominster 358 146 Middleborough 354 82 South Yarmouth 352 41 Winchendon 339 35 North Falmouth 333 9 South Easton 322 33 Roslindale 321 93 Stoughton 318 86 Lunenburg 317 32 Lynn 304 275 Everett 302 126 Canton 301 65 South Dennis 298 11 East Boston 296 120 Nantucket 294 30 Bridgewater 293 78 Harwich Port 287 5 Marstons Mills 287 14 Berlin 279 8 Springfield 279 428 Spencer 273 32 Allston 267 78 East Taunton 266 17 Foxborough 266 45 Florida 265 2 Housatonic 265 2 Mattapan 265 97 Salisbury 265 22 West Warren 264 3 Jamaica Plain 261 98 Indian Orchard 258 26 Orange 255 20 Methuen 249 118 Oxford 248 34 Attleborough 238 104 Holyoke 238 95 Royalston 238 3 North Andover 236 67 Mashpee 235 33 Amesbury 233 38 Holbrook 231 25 Newton Center 231 9 Avon 229 10 Lanesborough 226 7 Westborough 224 41 Hull 223 23 Dorchester Center 222 205 Malden 215 128 Bondsville 213 4 Abington 212 34 Winthrop 211 37 Newtonville 210 11 Tolland 206 1 Roxbury 204 122 Southfield 202 1 Ware 202 20 Eastham 201 10 Wareham 201 44 Carver 199 23 Marshfield 198 50 North Attleborough 198 57 Yarmouth Port 198 10 Bellingham 195 32 Plainville 193 16 Plymouth 193 109 Sagamore Beach 193 7 Chicopee 191 106 Whitman 186 27 Brighton 184 81 Mattapoisett 181 11 Ashland 180 30 Hudson 178 34 Northborough 176 25 Oak Bluffs 176 8 Seekonk 174 24 Franklin 173 55 Halifax 172 13 Mansfield 172 40 Somerville 171 130 North Brookfield 170 8 Cambridge 169 178 East Wareham 169 37 Lakeville 169 18 Westport 167 26 Blackstone 166 15 Millbury 165 22 Shrewsbury 165 59 Millis 164 13 Chatham 163 10 Marion 163 8 Fiskdale 161 5 North Billerica 159 17 Forestdale 158 7 Andover 156 52 Raynham 156 21 South Grafton 156 7 Millers Falls 155 2 Stockbridge 154 3 Dedham 153 38 Norton 152 29 Dudley 149 17 Salem 149 62 Pepperell 147 17 Wrentham 146 16 Medford 145 82 Wellfleet 145 4 Fairhaven 144 23 Weymouth 143 77 Tewksbury 141 41 Uxbridge 141 19 Woburn 141 54 Hingham 139 31 North Easton 138 18 West Wareham 138 3 Huntington 137 3 Warren 136 7 Sudbury 135 24 Peabody 134 69 Centerville 133 18 Whately 133 2 East Weymouth 132 71 Saugus 131 35 Waltham 131 80 Warwick 128 1 Lancaster 124 10 Shirley 124 9 Cheshire 123 4 Westwood 123 18 East Freetown 122 6 Sheffield 122 4 Woods Hole 122 1 Greenfield 120 21 Cherry Valley 118 13 Dalton 118 8 Maynard 118 12 Peru 118 1 Phillipston 118 2 West Roxbury 118 36 Belmont 117 29 Hanover 115 16 Tyngsborough 115 13 Jefferson 114 4 Great Barrington 112 8 Townsend 112 10 Barre 111 6 Somerset 110 20 Acton 109 24 Northbridge 108 17 Sagamore 108 4 Swampscott 108 15 Wales 108 2 Cohasset 106 8 North Dartmouth 106 25 West Barnstable 106 3 Auburn 105 17 Kingston 102 13 Mendon 102 6 Rowley 102 6 Three Rivers 102 3 Beverly 101 40 Orleans 101 6 West Bridgewater 101 7 Dighton 98 7 Hinsdale 98 2 Bedford 97 13 Turners Falls 97 4 Sharon 96 17 Westminster 96 7 Charlestown 95 16 Chelmsford 94 32 East Bridgewater 94 13 Goshen 94 1 West Townsend 94 2 Arlington 93 40 Groveland 92 6 Brewster 91 9 East Brookfield 91 2 Falmouth 91 29 Medfield 91 11 Walpole 91 22 Natick 90 30 Billerica 89 36 Belchertown 88 13 Brookfield 88 3 North Oxford 88 2 Swansea 88 14 West Springfield 88 25 Easthampton 87 14 Hopkinton 87 13 Princeton 87 3 Westfield 87 36 Danvers 86 23 Medway 86 11 Georgetown 85 7 Dracut 84 25 Stoneham 83 18 Douglas 82 7 Leicester 82 9 Sunderland 81 3 West Brookfield 81 3 Boxborough 80 4 Needham 79 23 Upton 79 6 West Chatham 78 1 East Dennis 77 2 North Grafton 77 6 West Stockbridge 76 1 Newbury 75 5 E. Boston 74 30 Milton 74 20 Edgartown 73 3 Harwich 73 9 Pembroke 72 13 Bourne 70 14 Monson 70 6 Plympton 70 2 Charlton 69 9 Boylston 68 3 Hubbardston 68 3 Onset 68 15 Wakefield 68 17 Hopedale 67 4 Lee 67 4 Littleton 67 6 Richmond 67 1 Holliston 66 9 Ashburnham 65 4 Ashby 65 2 Newton Upper Falls 65 4 Palmer 65 8 Watertown 65 21 West Boylston 65 5 Sturbridge 64 6 Dennis 63 9 Newburyport 63 11 Gloucester 62 18 Paxton 62 3 Bolton 61 3 Brookline 61 36 South Lancaster 61 1 Cotuit 60 2 Hatfield 60 2 Rehoboth 60 7 Duxbury 59 9 Feeding Hills 59 7 Clarksburg 58 1 Teaticket 58 1 Hadley 57 3 Norwell 57 6 South Weymouth 57 31 Russell 56 1 Shelburne Falls 56 1 Shutesbury 56 1 South Boston 56 19 Boston 55 341 Roxbury Crossing 55 33 Sutton 55 5 North Chelmsford 54 5 Westford 54 12 Wayland 53 7 Ludlow 52 11 Oakham 52 1 Southborough 51 5 Rutland 50 4 North Truro 49 1 Scituate 49 9 Wilmington 49 11 Hanson 48 5 Melrose 48 13 Sandwich 48 10 South Deerfield 48 1 Lincoln 47 3 Merrimac 47 3 West Newbury 47 2 Berkley 46 3 Holden 46 8 Ipswich 45 6 Marblehead 45 9 Amherst 44 17 Burlington 44 11 Wilbraham 42 6 Needham Heights 41 12 Lenox 39 2 South Hadley 39 7 Acushnet 38 4 Dartmouth 38 13 Northampton 38 11 Williamstown 38 3 Boxford 37 3 Bradford 37 5 East Templeton 37 3 Reading 36 9 Rochdale 36 4 West Tisbury 36 1 Monument Beach 35 1 South Dartmouth 35 12 Southampton 34 2 Middleton 33 3 North Reading 33 5 Auburndale 32 3 Granby 32 2 Northfield 32 1 Wellesley 32 9 Lexington 31 10 Millville 31 1 Nahant 29 1 Grafton 28 5 Osterville 28 1 Brimfield 27 1 Groton 26 3 Newton Centre 26 1 Sherborn 24 1 Templeton 24 2 Assonet 22 2 Concord 22 4 Deerfield 19 1 East Walpole 19 5 Manchester 19 1 Rochester 19 1 South Barre 18 1 Agawam 17 5 Norfolk 17 2 West Harwich 16 2 Stow 15 1 Rockport 14 1 East Longmeadow 12 2 Easton 12 3 Longmeadow 12 2 Newton 12 11 North Weymouth 12 7 South Hamilton 12 1 Waban 12 1 Manchaug 11 1 Fayville 10 1 Newton Highlands 10 9 Southwick 10 1 Winchester 9 2 West Groton 8 1 Weston 8 1 West Newton 7 1 Wellesley Hills 3 1 Barnstable 2 1 E. Weymouth 1 1 Manomet 1 1 (not given) 0 5673 span 0 30 Rate per 100,000 residents based on 2010 census. Municipalities do not appear if no evictions filed. Where neighborhoods are commonly recognized as municipalities, data appears under the neighborhood rather than the legal entity (e.g., "Roxbury" is separate from "Boston".) Where municipalities have alternate spellings (e.g., Marlboro for Marlborough), totals appear under the long form. Efforts are made to correct clerical errors in the court database, but clerical errors may appear. Rate per 100,000 County Renter Households Count Bristol 3089 2541 Plymouth 2950 1274 Barnstable 2875 555 Worcester 2708 3014 Berkshire 2410 389 Norfolk 1926 1642 Essex 1429 1571 Suffolk 1200 2370 Middlesex 1176 2745 Hampden 1098 781 Nantucket 854 30 Franklin 559 59 Hampshire 537 99 Dukes 463 19 Rate per 100,000 renter households based on 2019 ACS. Counties appear even if no evictions filed. -- Data Sources (report errors to hello@masslandlords.net): County Data Households Percent Renters Barnstable 96,509 20.0% Berkshire 53,792 30.0% Bristol 220,528 37.3% Dukes 18,146 22.6% Essex 297,898 36.9% Franklin 30,927 34.1% Hampden 179,970 39.5% Hampshire 60,002 30.7% Middlesex 612,366 38.1% Nantucket 11,399 30.8% Norfolk 269,717 31.6% Plymouth 191,041 22.6% Suffolk 309,945 63.7% Worcester 316,162 35.2% County Households: 2019 ACS TableID S1101 County Households and Renters, Dukes and Nantucket: https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/dukescountymassachusetts County Households and Renters, Large Counties: https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=S11&g=0400000US25.050000&d=ACS%201-Year%20Estimates%20Subject%20Tables&tid=ACSST1Y2019.S1101&hidePreview=true Dukes County Renters: https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/dukescountymassachusetts Nantucket County Renters: https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/nantucketcountymassachusetts -- Methodology Publicly available records at MassCourts.org are read fully manually at two intervals: 1.) For a filings report, once within approximately one week of filing; 2.) For an outcomes report, once again approximately 12 to 18 months after filing. Cases are searched by 'case type' = 'summary process', party type = 'plaintiff' within date ranges, typically weekly. MassCourts.org displays matches, not cases. X plaintiffs on a single case result in X separate matches. Cases are manually de-duplicated. Where the number of matches exceeds the number displayed (e.g., 'Displaying 100 of 257 total matches.'), date ranges are reduced until all cases may be viewed. If the date range cannot be reduced (i.e., is one day) but matches still exceed the display limit of 100, then two additional passes are taken. First, municipalities are filtered in stages. Second, to capture cases with no municipality entered, the search switches from 'case type' to 'case number', guessing the missing numbers assuming serialized entry. This method results in 'matches' reconciled to case counts. This effort costs more than 1 FTE. Summary spreadsheets are produced by copying exactly what is read. The spreadsheets are processed using proprietary software. Repeated analyses of local spreadsheets does not burden the MassCourts servers. The software is developed using best practices for revision control and regression testing. Limitations: Data are snapshots. As such, we cannot track individual cases over time or produce real-time reports. MassLandlords does not have access to court databases beyond what is published in human readable form at MassCourts.org. As of this report, MassLandlords staff were not considering information available to attorneys (e.g., the contents of notices, discovery, evidence, etc.) but not available to the general public. All data presented here are readily verifiable at MassCourts.org without special permission. Information is not independently verified outside of the court record. For instance, clerical errors in address, omissions of a defendant, etc. are not readily verifiable. As this process matures, reporting algorithms may change. Transfers are counted as new cases. Clerical differences between original case and transfer (e.g., middle initial included then dropped; defendant dropped on transfer; street address spelling changed) as well as the potential for indefinite circular transferring (e.g., foreclosure cases moving between housing, land, and/or superior courts) make it very difficult to programmatically identify continuing matters. -- When Citing This Work, Please Credit: MassLandlords, Inc. Available online at https://masslandlords.net/policy/eviction-data/.