Massachusetts Urban Conservancy Targets Unbuildable Land
If you’ve ever written a check to have grass mowed and said to yourself, “No one ever uses that grass,” we have an idea for you.
Another Rent Control Ballot Initiative Rears Its Ugly Head
We’ll need industry-wide coordination to fight a proposed ballot question that aims to repeal Massachusetts’ ban on rent control. With your help, we’ll stop it again.
Boston’s Cherry-Flavored Rent Control May Cost Your Town a Teacher or Two
Research shows rent control hurts the value of all property in a city, and the way state school aid is distributed means other communities will lose some of their education funding if rent control returns.
‘Vulture Season’ in Massachusetts Is Closed for Now
Landlords and developers got two wins in the last 30 days in the fight to stop tenant “right of first refusal” or “TOPA” laws: one on Beacon Hill and the other in a Middlesex County Courtroom.
Unvented Gas Stoves Might Need to be Illegal
In case you missed it, your unvented gas stove may be slowly debilitating you and your customers. Fortunately, replacements like induction cooktops are both cheap and more effective.
We Studied 30K Pandemic Eviction Filings. Here’s What We’ve Learned
Analyzing every Massachusetts eviction case since April 2019 suggests we have a pathway to eviction-free housing with a few key reforms to the commonwealth’s Housing Court system.
‘Buy Three, Get One Free’ in the Housing Market of the Future
We can fix home prices dramatically quickly and make a dent in climate change, too. To prove the point, come with me for a walk through a typical three-decker, and bring your calculator.
Rents Skyrocketing, Vacancies Nil but New Apartments Illegal
Time and again people have advocated to bring rent control back. With the housing crisis back to where it was before the pandemic, they will do it again if we are not responsive.
Why MassLandlords Has Sued DHCD Over Rental Assistance Records
We are asking the court to order DHCD release records on rental assistance applications, so we can see whether problems in the application process discriminated against renters of color and their landlords.
Heat Pump Water Heaters Have Not Frozen My Basement
As part of the ongoing saga to retrofit my Worcester three-decker to be zero-emission, I recently replaced two gas water heaters with heat pump water heaters. If you haven’t heard of these, grab your loofah, you’re in for some fun.
We Spent $400M for Secret Housing
The Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development has denied MassLandlords’ request to see where rental assistance was spent, or where applications were denied. The result is that $400 million of our public funds were spent in secret, with no public oversight. Landlords should be outraged.
Tenant Right of First Refusal to Be Heard on Beacon Hill
Although benign-sounding, the two bills would literally destroy rental housing through their provisions for “small amounts of demolition,” among other draconian measures.
Boston’s Eviction Moratorium is Broken Beyond Repair
I understand why elected officials steer toward to the siren song of eviction moratoria. But they don’t provide long-term protection, don’t sustain our limited rental housing supply and are not legal.
The Summer Lease-Up Frenzy Victimizes Many
Before the pandemic, we had a housing crisis. After the pandemic’s first three waves, it seems things are still bad. And any landlord or property manager trying to lease up an apartment right now is watching that first-hand.
Does Someone Need to Sue for Rental Assistance?
Massachusetts has set aside roughly $1 billion for pandemic rental assistance. But roughly half of applicants aren’t able to finish their 13-page applications. The net result is a loss of affordable housing run by small landlording businesses, plus despair in many Massachusetts homes.
Landlord Certification Test Ready
A landlord who takes and passes our test will contribute to renter wellbeing, be responsible when no one is looking and avoid problems – and receive recognition for their hard work, thanks to a nationwide first achieved by MassLandlords.
Landlords Should Take RAFT. It’s the Law
A bill before the legislature would bring the eviction moratorium roaring back to Massachusetts, but if state officials enforced existing law, none of this nonsense would be necessary.
Multifamily Housing Providers Grapple with Heat Pump Retrofits
In our mission to create better, low-carbon rental housing, MassLandlords staff and members are evaluating heat pumps retrofits in multifamily properties. While heat pumps show promise, it’s not clear how and when housing providers should retrofit.
Landlord Certification Now Live, Searchable
The Certified Massachusetts Landlord is a nationwide first. And it can be a differentiator for housing providers statewide seeking good tenants. And it will be a differentiator for MassLandlords in our policy advocacy.
Six Things to Know About Evictions During COVID
MassLandlords has read and analyzed 3,984 cases filed between Oct. 19, when the state eviction moratorium lifted, and Dec. 18, 2020. This is what we found.
