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Letter from the Executive Director for March 2022: Creating Better Rental Housing

Posted on February 23rd, 2022 Posted in News - 0 Comments

Our Letter from the Executive Director for March 2022 discusses our opposition to local rent control and right of first refusal, gives an update on our public records lawsuit and provides some business updates.

The Legislature Needs to Hear from You: Oppose Local Control of Housing Policy

First Published February 21st, 2022 | Updated June 13th, 2022 Posted in News - 6 Comments

Screenshot of the MAPC zoning atlas showing huge swaths of what people think of as dense parts of the state that do not allow 2+ units on a lot. More than half of Boston is now effectively single family.

Oppose local control of housing policy. Rent control and right of first refusal will have exclusionary effects. Zoning reform is what's needed.

Talking Points: The Legislature Needs to Hear from You opposing Local Control of Housing Policy

First Published February 21st, 2022 | Updated April 5th, 2022 Posted in policy - 0 Comments

The Massachusetts State House on Beacon Hill is fenced off to the public.

Rent Control: H.1378 and its companion S.886; H1440 and its companion S889; H.3721, H4229 Right to Purchase: H.1426 and its companion S890; H4208 Our elected officials depend on a connection with their constituents to get reelected. If they aren’t aware of what’s good and bad, they will make bad choices.…

DHCD Lawsuit Update: Half of Applications Rejected, One Third Lost?

First Published February 21st, 2022 | Updated July 15th, 2024 Posted in News - 0 Comments

Emergency Rental Assistance Application Data. TOTAL ESTIMATED APPLICATIONS RECEIVED (week ending 11/28/20 - 1/15/22) 151,658 151,000. Applications with Addresses in HAPPY (approved or denied between 11/28/20 - 1/15/22)2 59,692 60,000. Estimated Number of Addresses RAAs/RAP Center Must Locate Data (Total Applications - DHCD Addresses) 47,817 47,000

In DHCD’s motion to dismiss MassLandlords’ public records lawsuit, we learned that more than half of all applications for rental assistance have been denied, and as many as one third are lost to supervision among the regional administering agencies.

Local Control of Housing Policy: A Bad Idea. An Open Letter to the Joint Committee on Housing

First Published February 20th, 2022 | Updated April 14th, 2023 Posted in News - 1 Comment

Graph from Loikkanen (1985, Academy of Finland) showing a landlord's optimal acceptance policy with three switch points.

"Why do you care and what is it your business what Michelle Wu does to provide affordable housing in Boston?" is the question of the day from Jim Braude, Boston Public Radio.

Renters Insurance: Can Landlords Legally Require it? What About Pet Insurance?

First Published February 17th, 2022 | Updated April 20th, 2023 Posted in News - 1 Comment

Renters insurance is a good idea for both tenants and landlords, but requiring tenants to buy insurance may not be legally advisable.

Letter from the Executive Director for February 2022: Fie on Housing Partisanship

First Published January 28th, 2022 | Updated April 14th, 2023 Posted in News - 1 Comment

Our Letter from the Executive Director for February 2022 focuses on rent control, right of first refusal, and the proposed Worcester eviction moratorium.

What to Do If a Tenant Dies in Your Rental, or Plans To

First Published January 18th, 2022 | Updated June 25th, 2024 Posted in News - 1 Comment

A corner of an empty apartment living room in late afternoon with sun coming in. The lower part of two photo frames on a beige wall are visible. An empty brown armchair sits in the corner. There is a brown coffee table and wood side table with a 1960s-style telephone sitting on top of it.

At some point as a landlord, you may have a renter die during their tenancy. Here’s how to handle it if someone passes away in your apartment.

MassLandlords Testimony in Opposition to An Act Enabling Local Options for Tenant Protections 192 H.1378 S.886

First Published January 14th, 2022 | Updated June 4th, 2024 Posted in News - 2 Comments

A google maps view of Petrillo Square. A three decker with apparently six units (two vertical stacks of bay windows letting in warm sun) face the marker put in place to honor Peter Petrillo. The street address is Magazine and Chestnut, Cambridge, MA.

This is an excerpt of 19 pages of testimony opposed to rent control submitted during the January 11, 2022 hearing. This excerpt focuses on 192 H.1378 S.886.

Landlords Association Files Court Suit Against DHCD to Enforce Public Records Request

First Published January 14th, 2022 | Updated July 15th, 2024 Posted in News - 3 Comments

MassLandlords, Inc., has filed a petition in the Superior Court of Suffolk County