Guarantee Survey Follow-up

In September we asked Massachusetts to pilot a new program based on the success of similar programs in Seattle and elsewhere. We asked that any landlord who takes a homeless family out of shelter should receive the following guarantee:

• $5,000 insurance for any unpaid rent;
• Equivalently large insurance in case of property damage, depending on region;
• $750 insurance for attorney's fees in the event of an eviction;
• A 24 hour returned-call guarantee:
  • Landlords could call a new independent, state-funded landlord adviser for assistance should problems arise (e.g., noise and nuisance, unauthorized residents, property cleanliness, etc.)

This insurance program would stack with existing subsidies. For instance, HomeBASE, MRVP or Section 8 would still be used to help the tenant afford the apartment.

We asked for this on the basis of your survey results and the deep statistical data from programs like the Seattle Landlord Liaison Project.

After much discussion, this is the compromise we got:

• $5,000 insurance total to cover unpaid rent, damage, and/or attorney's fees;
• A landlord adviser and/or staff who may report to a regional housing administrator (like Metro Boston Housing Partnership, RCAP Solutions, or HAP Housing), to be determined by the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD);
• After 12 months with no insurance claims or disputes, the tenant would receive $2,500 cash.

Please tell us whether you agree with the following statements: