Blog - Archived - Page 18 of 115

National Flood Insurance Program to Expire March 8 at Midnight

First Published February 21st, 2024 | Updated March 12th, 2024 Posted in News - 1 Comment

A computer-generated map shows different degrees of flood risk for Westfield, Massachusetts, and surrounding areas. Areas with a 1% chance of annual flood hazards are highlighted in blue.

Congress must reauthorize the NFIP to avoid lapses in flood insurance sales and renewals.

Lowell Was Headed for ADUs, Then Single-Family Property Owners Spoke Up

First Published February 6th, 2024 | Updated December 30th, 2024 Posted in News - 3 Comments

google image of a sunny, tree-lined street in the Belvidere section of Lowell, Mass., showing a handsome home with large yard and solar panels in the foreground, and down the street with similar homes lining each side.

The Lowell City Council rejected an ADU-by-right ordinance last October following an overheated, disingenuous opposition campaign by a vocal group of residents.

Letter from the Executive Director for February 2024: Winter Grind

Posted on February 5th, 2024 Posted in News - 1 Comment

Our Letter from the Executive Director for February 2024 covers eviction delays, public records delays and association delays.

RentControlHistory.com – A Comprehensive Pictorial History of Rent Control

First Published February 1st, 2024 | Updated July 28th, 2025 Posted in News - 1 Comment

Judge Ruth Abrams wears old fashioned cravat and jacket with a bowl haircut. Prince Frederik wears a suit, tie and gold wedding band, and moustache and goatee. Ken Reeves wears glasses and a suit and stands in front of protestor signs as he talks with protestors.

A comprehensive overview of rent control’s origins and evolution in Massachusetts.

Executive Director to Speak at Fair Housing Conference April 11

Posted on January 30th, 2024 Posted in News - 0 Comments

An iPad sits on a desk showing the Fair Housing and Civil Rights Conference 2024 homepage. 18 years of promoting fair housing and civil rights. 20+ essential workshops. Over 7,000 participants over 18 years.

The 2024 Fair Housing and Civil Rights Conference covers housing first, homelessness, fair housing and more. Hundreds of attendees from around the country are expected.

MassLandlords Files Testimony Opposed to Affordable Homes Act, Housing Bond Bill, Eviction Sealing

First Published January 26th, 2024 | Updated December 5th, 2024 Posted in News - 1 Comment

Coversheet for MassLandlords testimony opposed to The Affordable Homes Act aka Housing Bond Bill November 18, 2024. In particular, its eviction sealing provisions.

Our 19 pages of testimony focuses on Housing Court being already overworked and underfunded, and on the complexity involved in sealing eviction records.

Landlords in Profile: Erin Zamarro

Posted on January 5th, 2024 Posted in News - 0 Comments

Erin Zamarro, a real estate broker and rental property owner in Worcester, was elected to the MassLandlords Board of Directors in December.

MassLandlords Annual Election Results 2023

Posted on January 4th, 2024 Posted in News - 1 Comment

Board of Directors graph. Whiskers cover 82%. Box covers ~50% unless touching 0 or 5, in which case median line to edge is at least 50%. X is mean. Dots are response cluster outliers. Erin's box ranges from 4 to 5 and Dave's from 3 to 4, indicating stronger support for Erin.

The 2023 election resulted in Erin Zamarro becoming director, bylaws changes being adopted and Director Sullivan being removed. This article covers who won the 2023 election, who ran, and how you can get involved for next time.

Letter from the Executive Director for January 2024: RentControlHistory.com

Posted on January 3rd, 2024 Posted in News - 2 Comments

Our Letter from the Executive Director for January 2024 covers two public records issues, some worthwhile events and the launch of our new website.

HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents Now Represent 45% of Participants

Posted on December 28th, 2023 Posted in News - 2 Comments

A chart from the Department of Housing and Urban Development outlines the various small area fair market rents for some of the zip codes in Worcester county. The lowest rent is an efficiency in the zip code 01010, at $850 a month. The highest rent is a four-bedroom house in the zip code 01430, at $3550 a month. The chart is superimposed over a solid-colored image of the state of Massachusetts.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development has increased the number of zip codes required to use SAFMRs, allowing 800,000 households greater access to housing choice.