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Letter from the Executive Director for September 2022: Hottest Yet

First Published August 26th, 2022 | Updated April 13th, 2023 Posted in News - 0 Comments

Our Letter from the Executive Director for September 2022 recaps a hot August. Besides our work on climate change, we continued to oppose TOPA post-session and advanced initiatives in lead, evictions and rent control.

State Legislature Makes Tenants Rights Sheet Permanent Requirement for Issuing Notice to Quit, Temporarily Extends Copies and Continuances

First Published August 10th, 2022 | Updated April 13th, 2023 Posted in News - 2 Comments

This image is a screenshot of the upper half of the tenant rights attestation form that must accompany a notice to quit. On the upper right are the dates of finalization, which read “Final 12-30-20, as amended 02-16-21, 6-23-21, 6-25-21, 8-04-21 and 5-11-22.” After that, the form reads: “Attestation form to accompany any residential notice to quit. This notice to quit is not an eviction. You do not need to immediately leave your unit. You are entitled to a legal process in which you can fight the eviction. Only a court order can force you to leave your unit. Pursuant to section 1(a) of Chapter 257 of the Acts of 2020, as amended by Chapter 20 of the Acts of 2021, a notice to quit for nonpayment of rent given by a landlord to a residential tenant pursuant to section 11 or section 12 of chapter 186 of the General laws must be accompanied by this attestation form. A landlord’s obligation to provide her/his tenant(s) with this attestation form begins on the effective date of the law, December 31, 2020, and lasts until March 31, 2023. Instructions for completing this attestation form can be found here – here there is a link to the attestation form and submission information, as well as spaces to fill out the names of the landlords and tenants, and the address where the tenant lives. The form goes on to say “By signing below, Landlord is swearing that all of the following statements are true and correct

A pandemic requirement to notify tenants of their rights when served a notice to quit is now part of the law. Copies of notices and continuances pending rental assistance continue through March 31, 2023.

State Cans Two Most Egregious Rent Control Bills; Sends To Study

First Published August 17th, 2022 | Updated April 13th, 2023 Posted in News - 0 Comments

This image is a screenshot of the top part of the first page of each of the bills mentioned in this article. The visible part of the background page reads “Senate Docket No. 1677 Filed On 2/18/2021, Senate No. 889, The Commonwealth of Massachusetts.” The rest of the text is cut off. The partial page in the foreground reads “Senate Docket, No. 2348 Filed On 2/19/2021, Senate No. 886, The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Presented by Adam Gomez. To the honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General Court assembled: The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill: An Act enabling local options for tenant protections.”

Senate bills S.886 and S.889 will not pass into law; rental assistance remains best path to fixing housing crisis.

HUD Orders Dallas Housing Authority to Pay $500,000 Housing Discrimination Settlement

First Published September 23rd, 2022 | Updated April 13th, 2023 Posted in News - 3 Comments

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development determined a former public housing tenant was entitled to damages after alleged civil rights violations.

New COVID Landlord, Court Regulations Now Law (FY21 Budget, 191-H5181, Ch. 257 of the Acts of 2020)

First Published January 25th, 2021 | Updated April 13th, 2023 Posted in News - 0 Comments

A new emergency law, recently signed by the Governor, introduces Notice to Quit regulations and court changes that will affect some eviction cases.

Caffé Nero Decision: Will It Affect Landlords?

First Published March 12th, 2021 | Updated April 13th, 2023 Posted in News - 0 Comments

An eatery forced to close due to governor’s orders during the pandemic was in the right, judge says.

Letter from the Executive Director for April 2021: Search Evictions

First Published March 25th, 2021 | Updated April 13th, 2023 Posted in News - 0 Comments

In March we released a new eviction search tool, advanced our professional certification, and contributed to work in rent collection, climate change mitigation, and zoning.

Court Asked to Provide Counsel for Indigent Landlords, Deflects

First Published March 25th, 2021 | Updated April 13th, 2023 Posted in News - 0 Comments

The Committee for Public Counsel Services will not help indigent landlords, despite courts requiring an attorney and the executive funding renter counsel.

New Housing Choice Law Could Have Large Impact on Affordable Housing in Massachusetts

First Published March 29th, 2021 | Updated April 13th, 2023

The state’s new Housing Choice Bill, including a simple majority requirement for some zoning changes, may make vital improvements on the housing crisis.

A Follow-up on RAFT rejections during Covid

First Published April 22nd, 2021 | Updated April 13th, 2023 Posted in News - 1 Comment

State provided incomplete, sometimes confusing, answers to our questions

Letter from the Executive Director for September 2022: Hottest Yet

State Legislature Makes Tenants Rights Sheet Permanent Requirement for Issuing Notice to Quit, Temporarily Extends Copies and Continuances

State Cans Two Most Egregious Rent Control Bills; Sends To Study

HUD Orders Dallas Housing Authority to Pay $500,000 Housing Discrimination Settlement

New COVID Landlord, Court Regulations Now Law (FY21 Budget, 191-H5181, Ch. 257 of the Acts of 2020)

Caffé Nero Decision: Will It Affect Landlords?

Letter from the Executive Director for April 2021: Search Evictions

Court Asked to Provide Counsel for Indigent Landlords, Deflects

New Housing Choice Law Could Have Large Impact on Affordable Housing in Massachusetts

A Follow-up on RAFT rejections during Covid

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