Letter from the Executive Director for December 2021: Choose Our Next Director

In November, we continued to be active participants in the public policy space, developed our website and prepared for our annual elections.

Our implementation of the new “price per unit” dues was (or has been) delayed twice, from Nov. 15 to Dec. 4 as of writing. We have the new signup page working on test, but it has not yet passed acceptance testing. We continue to polish and refine the sign-up experience. We want it to be positive for all new and renewing members.

Meanwhile, we have had over a hundred conversations with members to help them achieve grandfathered dues pricing before the new dues structure takes effect.

Policy-wise we continue to be active participants:

We transferred approximately 61,000 data points from our eviction data to BU Spark!, an experiential learning lab at Boston University. They train students to analyze public records, and are looking to understand evictions in the context of demographics and ZIP codes.

I gave a small group presentation to participants in GenUnity, a nonprofit trying to build renter (and also landlord?) political power. We tracked our time as lobbying. Anytime we can educate renters, we will do so.

We facilitated a Boston Globe debate on rent control between past MetroWest President Sherri Way and Representative Nika Elugardo. (As of writing, the informal Boston Globe poll showed 61% opposed to rent control.)

We published an attention-getting op-ed in the Banker and Tradesman: We Paid $400 Million for Secret Housing. We may file a public records lawsuit to access this information. If you are a member and have concerns with our filing a public records lawsuit, email hello@masslandlords.net.

Our policy infrastructure will be improved as the “price per unit” dues increase takes effect. The past two months made it very clear how important it is to have backup: two team members were out for serious illness (both are now recovering). We are actively hiring for an additional bookkeeper.

The most important thing about this month is our annual election. Nominations remain open right up until the electronic ballot opens on Nov. 29, and write-ins are taken after. Vote.

Remember we offer an impressive array of services, including a test of landlording knowledge through our Certified Massachusetts Landlord™ program. Thank you for supporting our mission to create better rental housing.

Sincerely,

Douglas Quattrochi

Executive Director

MassLandlords, Inc.