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Why Would a Landlord Raise the Rent 100%?

Posted on March 30th, 2026 Posted in News - 0 Comments

A photograph of a page from the book “Landlording” shows a renter standing in his doorway. He is holding a snake. Another snake is coming over the door into the hall. A third snake is coming around the door into the hall. A fourth snake is coiled at his feet. A stressed-looking landlord is holding a piece of paper in front of the renter. The renter says, “Go ahead. Show me where my lease says I can’t have any snakes!!!”

At the State House hearing on the 2026 rent control ballot question, renter advocates pitched a narrative of unfair 100% rent increases. When rent goes up that much, these are the reasons for it.

Why “Greed” Needs to Leave the Debate

Posted on March 30th, 2026 Posted in News - 0 Comments

The title page of the book Landlording features a line drawing cartoon illustration. A landlord wearing an expensive hat and cloak smokes an expensive cigar. He holds a pet rat on a leash. One foot is standing on a trap to hold the door open, out of which three ants are escaping. The landlord hand holds a whip. Beside him a landlady with a moustache and hair curlers in her hair holds a rent increase notice in her hand and a cigarette between her lips. She holds open her jacket to show a coin dispensing belt to offer change. Subtitle: A handymanual for scrupulous landlords and landladies who do it themselves. Written by Leigh Robinson. Illustrated by David Patton, Nancy Robinson, and Jan Brown. Published by Express. PO Box 1639. El Cerrito, CA 94530-4639. landlording.com

At the State House hearing for the fall 2026 rent control ballot question, renter advocates called landlords greedy. MassLandlords has had enough of it.

Letter from the Executive Director for April 2026: Tell Ten Landlords About Rent Control

Posted on March 26th, 2026 Posted in News - 0 Comments

Our Letter from the Executive Director for April 2026 makes an appeal to spread the word about the rent control ballot initiative.

30, 50, 100% : Laura Frost’s Rent Increase Data Keeps Changing

Posted on March 26th, 2026 Posted in News - 0 Comments

Two women sit at a table in the State House. The woman on the left is looking down at some papers. The woman on the right is speaking into a tabletop microphone.

Frost’s testimony provided at the March 17 rent control hearing seemed to differ from prior media statements.

Spring Notice for 2026 Annual Business Meeting and Elections in October

Posted on March 26th, 2026 Posted in News - 0 Comments

A MassLandlords branded bic pen and in-person event nametag sit on a MassLandlords tablecloth.

Our 2026 Annual Business Meeting and Annual Election will be held electronically in October 2026. Now is the time to volunteer.

New Interactive Map Shows Disastrous Effects of Rent Control

Posted on March 23rd, 2026 Posted in News - 0 Comments

A composite image shows a section of Roxbury in the interactive map, which is covered in red house icons. One house is circled. The inset of the image shows the 1985 survey result: a boarded-up multifamily property owned by the city.

A 1985, rent control-era survey found many Boston-area properties in run down, boarded up condition.

Letter from the Executive Director for March 2026: Rent Control Volunteers Needed!

Posted on February 24th, 2026 Posted in News - 0 Comments

Our Letter from the Executive Director for March 2026 looks back on activity in a variety of fields including the rent control ballot question.

MassLandlords Hits Record High Membership; Success Attributed to Expanded Benefits and Community

Posted on February 24th, 2026 Posted in News - 0 Comments

MassLandlords hit its highest membership count ever in February 2026, a result of marketing, benefits and expanded access.

How to Handle Unauthorized Occupants In Your Rental Unit

Posted on February 24th, 2026 Posted in News - 0 Comments

A cartoon image of a mailroom shows four wall-mounted mailboxes labeled: 1A, Tina Tenant; 1B, Rita Renter; 2A, Larry Longterm; and 2B, The Lease Family. A package sits on a table near the mailboxes. The package is addressed to Gino Guest, 25 Any Street, Unit 1A, Anytown, MA, 11111. A speech bubble reads “Who’s Gino Guest?”

All adults living in your rental should be on the lease. Here’s how to handle unauthorized occupants.

Zillow Removes Vital Climate Risk Info on Real Estate Listings

First Published February 24th, 2026 | Updated February 26th, 2026 Posted in News - 0 Comments

photo of a dirty white asbestos tile-sided home amid a deep pool of flood water, with a man and woman walking on a back deck, stairway and entrance ramp, also under water.

Zillow recently responded to real estate industry and home sellers’ complaints by removing climate-related risk factors from its property listings, to the disadvantage of home shoppers.