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A Landlord’s Guide to Refugee Programs in Massachusetts

First Published June 21st, 2022 | Updated April 13th, 2023

This image shows the outline of the state of Massachusetts set against a solid blue background. Within the state’s borders, a collage of international flags cover the space.

What programs exist to help refugees seeking housing, and what you can do as a landlord to help recent immigrants

Matthew Desmond’s ‘Evicted’ 6 Years Later: Good Copy, But Does It Tell the Whole Story?

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

This is a stylized image that has views of buildings and murals in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in the background. An image of Desmond’s book cover, Evicted, is in the foreground. Superimposed over this are faded images of eviction notices and court records relevant to the book.

A snapshot of poverty in Milwaukee leaves out key details years later; may impact eviction legislation

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.

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.

A Landlord’s Guide to Refugee Programs in Massachusetts

Matthew Desmond’s ‘Evicted’ 6 Years Later: Good Copy, But Does It Tell the Whole Story?

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

How to Avoid Housing Discrimination Based on Genetic Information

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

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