News Archives - MassLandlords.net

Letter From the Executive Director for November 2026: A Rental Real Estate Newsletter in the Age of AI

Posted on October 26th, 2026 Posted in News - 0 Comments

Last month, we decided to change the way we produce content for our newsletter and website. The change is motivated by the rise of AI, or specifically, “large language models” that generate text (“generative AI.”) In a nutshell, a portion of most articles going forward will only be accessible to…

Zoning Variance Process Gets Overhaul With Governor’s Budget

Posted on October 26th, 2026 Posted in News - 0 Comments

An informational table titled “Zoning Variances Under Ch. 40A” has two columns, labeled “Before” and “Now,” followed by five rows. They read as follows: Before - Must show “significant hardship”; Now - Must show “practical difficulty.” Before - Variance expires after 1 year, one 6-month extension possible; Now - Variance expires after 2 years, one 2-year extension possible. Before - Must use certified mail to notify; Now - Can use electronic mail to notify. Before - Non-conforming properties have abandonment protections for 2 years; Now - Non-conforming properties have abandonment protections for 4 years. Before - “Zoning Freeze” = 12 months, building permit must already be approved; Now - “Zoning Freeze” = 24 months, building permit must already be applied for.

Gov. Maura Healey’s FY27 budget includes major reforms to the zoning variance process in an effort to encourage housing creation.

1.7% Success Rate for TOPA in Washington, D.C.

Posted on October 26th, 2026 Posted in News - 0 Comments

Photograph of a Cooper Mini, white with black top, with a red and white placard stenciled on the back door, reading, “Got TOPA?” parked on a street with brick sidewalk.

D.C. has had TOPA for more than 40 years, driving up home sellers’ costs, delaying sales and extorting benefits in order to protect a small percentage of renters’ housing.

Brookline and Easthampton 2026 Rent Control Home Rule Petitions Would Require Legislative Approval, Are Unlikely to Pass

Posted on October 22nd, 2026 Posted in News - 0 Comments

A photograph of a tree-lined street in Brookline, with several cars on the road and a church in the distance.

Brookline and Easthampton are backing local rent control initiatives, but the Legislature is unlikely to greenlight either.

Application Period Now Open for Winter 2026-27 Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP)

Posted on October 22nd, 2026 Posted in News - 0 Comments

A close up of a home oil fuel gauge shows an almost empty tank.

The income-based Massachusetts HEAP initiative offers eligible households heating assistance, along with other utility discounts.

Notice: Mobile Format of Newsletter Discontinued; Full Content Still Available Online

Posted on October 22nd, 2026 Posted in News - 0 Comments

MassLandlords will discontinue offering a mobile format newsletter, but all content will still be available online and through email.

Mass Save-style HEAT Loans Now Available to Municipal Light & Power Towns

Posted on September 28th, 2026 Posted in News - 0 Comments

A map of the state of Massachusetts, with cities and towns outlined and labeled. A key on the map reads: “Municipal Light Plant Communities” with 50 names: Ashburnham, Belmont, Berkley, Boxborough, Boylston, Chester, Chicopee, Concord, Danvers, Dighton, Georgetown, Gosnold, Groton, Groveland, Hingham, Holden, Holyoke, Hudson, Hull, Ipswich, Lakeville, Littleton, Lynnfield, Mansfield, Marblehead, Merrimac, Middleborough, Middleton, North Attleborough, North Reading, Norwood, Paxton, Peabody, Princeton, Raynham, Reading, Rowley, Russell (north part of town), Shrewsbury, South Hadley, Sterling, Stow, Taunton, Templeton, Wakefield, Wellesley, West Boylston, Westfield and Wilmington.

State MLP Z-Loans allow customers in towns not covered by Mass Save to access zero interest loans for heat upgrades.

Rent Prices Are Falling Nationwide and in Boston, Reports Realtor.com

Posted on September 25th, 2026 Posted in News - 0 Comments

a photo of The Sudbury, a high rise Boston apartment building that came online in 2020, during its construction, with an incomplete tower with a crane on top, and an older concrete building in the foreground.

Some might be surprised, amid yearslong inflation, that rent prices are on a downward trend, and Boston landlords are seeing the highest vacancy rate in years.

Letter From the Executive Director for October 2026: Spanish Lessons and How To Get Rid of Junk Land

Posted on September 25th, 2026 Posted in News - 0 Comments

Our Letter from the Executive Director for October 2026 details our new Spanish lessons service, mentions the MUC purchase and sale for unbuildable lots, and looks at Mass Save.

What’s Driving Increased Vacancies in Massachusetts?

First Published September 25th, 2026 | Updated October 19th, 2026 Posted in News - 0 Comments

Rental vacancies in Massachusetts hit a record high this September. Where have the renters gone?