Offensive Deed Language Targeted
A little-known but highly effective legal group is working on drafting model legislation that would help property owners remove discriminatory, restrictive covenants from their deeds.
Advocates, Realtors Back Competing Fair Housing Reforms
Massachusetts has anti-discrimination laws on the books, but experts and advocates warn that insufficient training and a lack of enforcement allows discriminatory housing practices to fester, curtailing the options for many who already face other obstacles.
New Regulator Signals Biden’s Emphasis on Housing Equality
Biden’s nominations for top roles at the CFPB and FHFA reflects President Joe Biden’s continuing effort to appoint diverse financial regulators with an eye toward firmer regulation and a commitment to economic equity and increased access.
Realtors Offer Legislators Insight into the Issues
This year on Realtor Day on Beacon Hill, the strength of our collective involvement will be on display via remote platforms as we head into what we hope is the home stretch of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Peabody Properties Settles Fair Housing Allegations
A Braintree-based property management company has settled allegations that it violated state fair housing laws and discriminated against deaf apartment applicants.
Realtors Grapple with New Hate Speech Rules
In an unusual, if not unprecedented, move for a major trade organization, the National Association of Realtors has taken full ownership for any and all discriminatory actions taken over the years by the 1.4 million agents and brokers for which it speaks.
Higher Hurdles for Developers Tested in Dorchester
Boston’s first-in-the-nation fair housing zoning law is already influencing key elements of the city’s largest proposed development, Dorchester Bay City, as Accordia Partners spells out how its affordable housing strategy will exceed what’s typically expected in new projects.
Incoming President Apologizes for NAR’s Past Contributions to Racial Inequality
One of the first official actions Charlie Oppler took as the 2021 president of the National Association of Realtors was to issue a formal apology for the group’s contributions to racial segregation and inequality.
Federal Suit Contests New Trump Admin Housing Rule
Advocates behind a federal lawsuit filed on behalf of the Massachusetts Fair Housing Center say it’s the first suit of its kind nationally to challenge the federal government’s rollback of an anti-discrimination rule at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Can More Diverse Boards Help Fix Segregation?
The national examination of our country’s racist past has sparked growing interest and debate over dusty, decades-old zoning rules suburban communities in the Boston area have thrown up over the years to bar construction of apartments and affordable housing.
MAR Launches Fair Housing Trainings in Wake of South Shore Violations
Attorney General Maura Healey’s office announced $110,000 in fines and mandatory training yesterday for three South Shore real estate agents and one brokerage accused of violating fair housing laws.
South Shore Real Estate Agents, Brokerage Face $110K Fines for Discrimination
South Shore brokers affiliated with four local brokerages are facing significant fines after accusations by Attorney General Maura Healey’s office that they engaged in what her office characterized as “widespread” discrimination against prospective apartment tenants receiving public assistance.
HUD Revokes Obama Housing Regulation Aimed at Diversifying Suburbs
The Trump administration said Thursday that it is revoking an Obama-era housing regulation designed to eliminate racial disparities in the suburbs, a move that fair housing advocates have decried as an election year stunt designed to manipulate the fears of white voters.
Boston Charts Course Toward Development Without Displacement
Among the new questions that developers are likely to face while seeking approvals: Would locally-owned businesses be displaced? And how will you market the development to encourage a diverse tenancy?
Education, Awareness Key to Reducing Racism in Real Estate
Discrimination is a concern throughout the nation and...
Edwards, O’Malley Call for Boston to Launch Fair Housing Testing
Boston City Councilors Lydia Edwards and Matt O’Malley are calling for the city to establish its own fair housing testing program in the wake of a Suffolk University Law School report that found significant discrimination against prospective Black renters.
Realtors Respond to Claims of Widespread Racism in Greater Boston Rental Market
Following a report from Suffolk University Law School that found widespread racism among apartment brokers in Greater Boston, two of the state’s largest real estate agent trade groups are calling for changes.
Black Renters Face Rampant Discrimination in Greater Boston, Study Finds
Black renters in Greater Boston face enormous and widespread hurdles to viewing apartments and finding brokers who will work with them, researchers from Suffolk University Law School and The Analysis Group found.
Boston’s Planning Equity Standard Will Set a Better Bar for Projects
With this zoning amendment, Boston will be the first city to use the power of zoning to create economically and racially diverse communities.
Cooperative Housing: Where Exclusivity Is Assured
What do Richard Nixon, Gloria Vanderbilt, Madonna, Billy Joel and Calvin Klein all have in common? They are among many noteworthy personages who were rejected when seeking to buy into cooperative housing projects.
