Letter from the Executive Director for April 2021: Search Evictions

Since last month’s letter, we have released the ability to search eviction records by address, advanced the Certified Massachusetts Landlord (cML), and attended to many opportunities to create better rental housing.

Members can now search eviction records by address at MassLandlords.net/masscourts. The primary focus of the search tool is not to conduct tenant screening (although it can be used to cross-check information provided on a rental application). Our focus is to help new and prospective owners conduct rental real estate due diligence, particularly to find out about litigation before an offer to purchase. The database is being searched on average 20 times a day.

Our professional certification continues to move forward. We have released images cML members can use in advertising on Craigslist and Zillow. We have also activated our team to write test questions. We are one-quarter of the way done with test writing. The test remains on-track for a May launch.

The Spanish language crash course is unstuck now that we have determined how best to publish our Spanish language content on the web. Translation will be started by the time you read this.

The RentHelper ACH service stands ready to talk to additional refugees from Cozy. Cozy owners with more than 20 units will likely pay for core services under the new Apartments.com model. While ACH is scheduled to remain free, most transactions will be via credit cards, five times more expensive than RentHelper on average.

The last month, we contributed a bit more to climate change mitigation. Our heat pump vs. furnace calculator has generated a lot of insightful feedback; an updated version will be released.

In the last month we have also contributed to policy discussions. We weighed in for an owner at a zoning board of appeals hearing. We provided eviction data for the Greater Boston Housing Report Card. Our team are busy besides, see this edition for details about our effort to get counsel for indigent landlords.

Forward this newsletter to a friend. Encourage them to read and join. Thank you for your support in our mission to create better rental housing.

Stay safe,
Douglas Quattrochi
Executive Director
MassLandlords, Inc.