Letter from the Executive Director for December 2016

In November we made a big improvement to our ability to get stuff done. Alexis Gee started as our new full time Manager of Marketing and Events. Alexis is one of a growing team of professionals who carry MassLandlords forward daily.

As we near the end of 2016, it’s time to evaluate the progress we’ve made toward our twin goals of economically valuable services and legislatively effective size. These goals are two sides of the same coin. By offering services that landlords and service providers want, we can attract more members and become a more complete resource for public policy.

Under the heading of economically valuable services, we set out to do the following in 2016: have a new partnership for cost savings, have a third source of revenue besides dues and event tickets, and share best practices across local groups.

The new partnership for cost savings did not develop the way we had imagined, because neither MassLandlords nor the partner, who shall remain nameless for the time being, had the bandwidth to do the job well. I hope we will revisit this in 2017. Currently our partnerships are with Home Depot and ClearScreening SmartScreen.

The third source of revenue went better than expected. We have successfully started selling our print newsletters, and for the first time we sold “crash course” tickets. Many other revenue line items are up, and overall it looks as if we will end 2016 having doubled our top-line revenue over 2015.
The sharing of best practices across local groups has been successful. I have spent much more time in Southern Worcester County, MetroWest, and Cambridge. I believe these partner groups are now taking full advantage of what we have to offer.

Under the heading of legislatively effective size, we had hoped to add two new groups in 2016, and to help SPOA establish a meeting presence in greater Boston. These goals also took unexpected directions.

Instead of adding two new contract partners, MassLandlords grew its core operations in two new locations. First, momentously, the Rental Housing Association of Greater Springfield restructured to allow MassLandlords to directly operate their events and services. Second, we started a new chapter, “Charles River,” in the 128 and I-90 region (Waltham, Watertown, Newton, and many more municipalities).

We did hold our first event in Boston, but it was not a SPOA seminar, the way we first envisioned. Instead it was the crash course. Our new office at One Broadway will be an excellent location for regular monthly events starting in 2017.
Overall, 2016 has been a significant year, a year of rapid growth, and a solid bit of construction. Happy holidays. May your water heaters and furnaces break only at convenient times.

Sincerely,
Doug Quattrochi
617-285-7255