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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

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.

Chicopee Housing Authority’s Executive Director Charged with Discrimination

First Published February 23rd, 2022 | Updated April 13th, 2023 Posted in News - 4 Comments

A group of nine people in business casual attire sit around a brown wood rectangular conference table. The person closest to the camera on the left side of the table is not fully in frame. Papers and books are scattered on the table’s surface.

Housing discrimination allegations against Monica Blazic include a preference for white tenants and denying disability accommodations

A Landlords’ Guide to Reasonable Accommodation for Tenants with Disabilities

First Published October 25th, 2022 | Updated April 13th, 2023 Posted in News - 1 Comment

This is a cartoon image of a man in a wheelchair in a kitchen designed for someone with a disability. The counters are low, and the stove has front controls. The sink has an open area below it. On the stove, a smoking pan rests on the burner. Above the stove, a smoke alarm with visual alerts flashes red and green.

The law requires many housing providers to make reasonable modifications to accommodate disabilities, but what does “reasonable” mean, and which landlords are exempt from the requirements?

How to Avoid Discrimination on the Basis of Disability

First Published October 27th, 2022 | Updated April 13th, 2023 Posted in News - 0 Comments

This cartoon image shows four people, three men and a woman, next to each other in front of an abstract white and yellow background. All are smiling. The second man is wearing sunglasses and has a white tipped cane; the man at the end of the row is sitting in a wheelchair.

Both the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act make it unlawful for housing providers to discriminate against someone based on their disability. What does that mean for landlords?

The Massachusetts Tenancy Preservation Program: Helping At-Risk Tenants Avoid Eviction

First Published November 30th, 2022 | Updated April 13th, 2023 Posted in News - 0 Comments

This is a cartoon drawing of an elderly man and woman with white hair embracing in front of a white picket fence with yellow house in the background.

The tenancy preservation program works with tenants to find solutions to disability-related housing issues, helping avoid homelessness.

How to Avoid Housing Discrimination Based on Age

First Published December 16th, 2021 | Updated April 13th, 2023 Posted in News - 0 Comments

A pencil drawing of an optical illusion sits in an ornate-looking frame. The drawing is of a woman in a fur coat, and looks like a young woman in her 20s or an elderly lady depending on how you view it. In a speech bubble, the woman states, “It doesn’t matter how old I am.”

Discriminating against renters because landlords feel they are too young or too old can put housing providers in violation of the Fair Housing Act.

State of Massachusetts Bans Mattress and Textile Disposal as of Nov. 1

First Published November 29th, 2022 | Updated April 13th, 2023 Posted in News - 1 Comment

This is a cartoon image of a large apartment complex in the background, with a green Dumpster out front. Several white and blue mattresses are piled on the ground beside the dumpster.

Mattresses, clothes, shoes and other textiles must be donated or recycled rather than thrown away as part of the state’s expanded waste disposal ban.

How Much Are Your Massachusetts Property Taxes?

First Published November 28th, 2022 | Updated April 13th, 2023 Posted in News - 3 Comments

Map of the United States color coded to illustrate amounts of property tax paid in each county across the nation.

Massachusetts property taxes, higher than in most states and ever-increasing, are enough to push some landlords out of the industry.

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

How to Avoid Housing Discrimination Based on Genetic Information

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

Chicopee Housing Authority’s Executive Director Charged with Discrimination

A Landlords’ Guide to Reasonable Accommodation for Tenants with Disabilities

How to Avoid Discrimination on the Basis of Disability

The Massachusetts Tenancy Preservation Program: Helping At-Risk Tenants Avoid Eviction

How to Avoid Housing Discrimination Based on Age

State of Massachusetts Bans Mattress and Textile Disposal as of Nov. 1

How Much Are Your Massachusetts Property Taxes?

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