Letter from the Executive Director for July 2016

June 2016 will be remembered as a turning point for MassLandlords on our journey from volunteer-powered to professionally staffed. The membership overwhelmingly approved our legal name change, from the historical Worcester Property Owners Association, Inc. to MassLandlords, Inc. The smart and hardworking attorneys at New Leaf Legal took care of this promptly. It’s official. We are now MassLandlords, Inc.

Of far greater importance was the vote, overwhelmingly in favor, to accept the assets of the dissolving Rental Housing Association of Greater Springfield. In exchange for this gift, we would give their members a legal vote, carry on their meetings and operations, and ensure continued contributions from their volunteers and staff. This process is complicated, and the legal paperwork is only started, but we are all now in perfect agreement on the broad terms, and also, that it should be carried out.

These two changes allow us to strengthen our operations in Worcester and Springfield, and combined with much work being done in other areas, we can now look to extend our meetings and events into Newton, Cambridge, and eventually the North Shore.

One of the big improvements you will have noticed is the June newsletter. This is now the trade newsletter for those who provide rental housing in Massachusetts. Landlords, public housing administrators, and housing advocates can all find articles of interest each month. Our approach is even-handed and non-partisan. Our mission to create better rental housing. Free enterprise and public assistance both have important roles to play. How can we best achieve all that should be done? We will use the newsletter to discuss these broad issues as well as to give concrete management tips and tricks.

Behind the scenes, in June we also improved the availability of membership data for our service providers and local volunteers. Previously it was difficult for our team to keep in touch with members about events and renewals. Some of our paid members may have found themselves lapsed without meaning to be. We have tightened up and distributed our treasury process, renewal mailing process, and membership list processes. Rather than concentrate these in the virtual “main office,” we have figured out ways to share the work while maintaining essential supervision and privacy.

All of this is consistent with our march toward the twin goals of “valuable services, significant size.” These are two sides of the same coin. It’s too big a job for one person. But working together and cooperating as we have been, we’re sure to become a force for good in Massachusetts.

Thank you for being a part of MassLandlords. Tell your friends about us, we’re on to great things.

Sincerely,
Doug Quattrochi
Executive Director
C: 617-285-7255