Blog - Archived - Page 29 of 109

Boston Stalls on Rent Stabilization Advisory Committee (RSAC) Public Records Request

First Published April 15th, 2022 | Updated July 15th, 2024 Posted in News - 1 Comment

An iPad sits on a table showing a page from the City of Boston website. The page title is “Members of Rent Stabilization Advisory Committee Announced.” The date is March 11, 2022. Derivative of image licensed by Unsplash.

MassLandlords filed a public records request March 28, 2022, to demonstrate how the Rent Stabilization Advisory Committee (RSAC) was formed. The request was neither extended nor fulfilled.

A Landlord’s Guide to Rental Management and Hiring a Property Manager

First Published April 8th, 2022 | Updated April 13th, 2023 Posted in News - 3 Comments

A family consisting of a husband, wife and young son, along with their dog, stand on a sidewalk next to a multi-story residential building which is cut off at the edge of the image. A cityscape with construction is in the background. A red sign in front of the building reads “For Rent, Bay State Management Co., 508-555-5555.”

How to research, vet and hire a rental manager or property management company

Rent Payments: Review of All Rental Software to Collect Rent Online

First Published April 6th, 2022 | Updated April 10th, 2024 Posted in News - 1 Comment

A hand reaches toward a laptop screen and out pops money. Licensed 123rf.

This guide reviews all rent payment and rental software available to collect rent online. Over 40 automatic rent systems reviewed and updated regularly.

Landlording by the Numbers April 2022

First Published April 4th, 2022 | Updated May 2nd, 2022 Posted in News - 0 Comments

Infographic: Landlording By the Numbers. What’s up, what’s down? What’s in, what’s out? This monthly feature is a brief statistical snapshot of the landlording and housing industries. 30 days. Required for serving a Notice to Quit for nonpayment in Massachusetts. This required period was raised from 14 days in 2020 as part of the economic response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The 30-day requirement remains in effect. $2,381. The difference in average apartment rents between Boston and Springfield, Mass. (reported by rentcafe, August 2021). 3rd highest. The rank of Massachusetts in terms of rent prices, among 56 U.S. states and territories. 19%. Percentage increase in average rents in Massachusetts year-over-year in October 2021. (Apartmentguide.com)

Letter from the Executive Director for April 2022: Technical Improvements, Lawsuit Waiting

First Published April 3rd, 2022 | Updated April 6th, 2022 Posted in News - 0 Comments

Our Letter from the Executive Director for April 2022 discusses the various technical improvements and new events and articles we’ve produced. Our lawsuit is still waiting for a hearing.

Retrospective: How $1 Trillion Renovation Created Gentle Density Utopia in Bay State

Posted on April 1st, 2022 Posted in humor, policy - 2 Comments

a sketchbook lies folded open with a pencil on top. A pencil list that reads “Meeting notes: Gentle Density, Creative Zoning, ADUs, Green Space, Transit Options, Monorail, Public Outreach, Plunger Rocket!” occupies most of the page. In the lower right corner, a sketched rocket ship that looks like a toilet plunger blasts off, with fire coming from under the plunger dome. License: Cc by SA 4.0_MassLandlords Inc

April Fool’s Day 2022 gives us a full year to study the April 1, 2021, grant, when world governments stopped subsidizing fossil fuels. Massachusetts was selected as one of the first six jurisdictions for renovation.

Year 2021 Summary Process Filings Remain Below Pre-Pandemic Baseline

First Published March 24th, 2022 | Updated June 4th, 2024 Posted in News - 0 Comments

picture of a graph with blue lines marking summary process filings graph points from November 2020 to January 2022, set against two orange lines framing the range of expected filings based on 2019 statistics.

A 2021 snapshot of MassLandlords’ data reports shows summary process court filings continued at lower-than-expected levels.

State: No More Federally Funded Rental Assistance Program Applications on or Around April 15

First Published March 22nd, 2022 | Updated April 13th, 2023 Posted in News - 0 Comments

Image shows a monthly calendar for April 2022 with Friday, April 15 circled in red. The calendar has a border with blue abstract lines. The calendar itself has a background image of a two-story white house on the lower left-hand side.

New applicants will still be able to apply for state rental assistance programs after April 15, subject to funding availability.

How to Avoid Housing Discrimination Based on Genetic Information

First Published March 21st, 2022 | Updated April 13th, 2023 Posted in News - 0 Comments

A white woman with light brown hair wearing a blue blazer and white shirt stands in front of a white two-story house on a green lawn. The house is covered in a pattern of a DNA double helix. The background of the image is also a muted blue and purple DNA double helix on a white background.

Though protections for genetic information primarily apply to employers, landlords must also be aware of the law.

Rent Control Reform in Cambridge: 1991 Report Paints Grim Picture of Stabilized Housing

First Published March 18th, 2022 | Updated April 13th, 2023 Posted in News - 0 Comments

A large infographic with a blue and gold background detailing the public’s concerns with rent control, and the Rent Control Subcommittee’s proposed solutions. It reads, from left to right: Rent Control Problems and Proposed Solutions. These were major reported issues with rent control in 1991, and the Subcommittee on Rent Control’s Proposed Solution. Problem: Random timing of general rent adjustments make it hard to budget or plan improvements. Solution: Annual Adjustment Rate. Problem: Access to rent controlled apartments is uneven, often involves bribes. Solution: Establish a Housing Access Office. Problem: Multiple general and individual adjustment rent increases were levied in under two years. Rent increases up to 60 percent were reported. Solution: Rent Increase Cap. Problem: RCB has not been proactively investigating and prosecuting violations of Full Occupancy Ordinance. Solution: Create a Compliance Office position, ensure enforcement. Problem: Many rent controlled are buildings in very poor condition. Solution: Affordable Housing Preservation Fund. Problem: Condominium Transition Exemptions have been inappropriately used. Solution: Remove transitional exemptions/condominium evictions. Problem: Enforcement of reported code violations “woefully deficient.” Solution: City manager should review the entire Inspectional Services Department. Problem: Expiring use is a concern. Solution: RCB should study the feasibility of placing units under rent control when regulations expire. Problem: No way to know where all deteriorating properties are. Solution: City-wide survey of all rent controlled buildings. Problem: Rent control law is complex, hard to understand and constantly changing. Solution: RCB should continue to increase communication efforts. Problem: Individual rent adjustments are hard for the RCB to grant. Solution: RCB should establish a tenant initiative program. Problem: There are no clear standards for “affiliate housing.” Solution: Review affiliate housing and remove units that do not qualify. Problem: RCB is source of delays on issue resolution; negatively impacts small property owners. Solution: Small Landlord Program that provides resolution for small landlords within 90 days. Problem: Finding financing for improvements can be difficult. Solution: Offer a low-interest loan program for small landlords. Problem: Processing eviction cases takes longer than it should. Solution: 45-day limit to resolve uncontested evictions. Problem: Minimum rent levels are impossible with the lack of information about many applicable units. Solution: City-wide survey/housing census. Problem: Not everything should require a formal hearing process. Solution: Voluntary mediation program for owner-tenant disputes. Problem: Funding can be hard to obtain. Solution: Cambridge should invest with banks that do not restrict loans for rent controlled housing.

A study on the state of rent control found problems with inspections, rent increases and accessibility. There’s no guarantee history wouldn’t repeat itself if rent control were reinstated.