Basic rights and obligations of Massachusetts Landlords and Tenants A service animal is a dog, or in rare cases a miniature horse, that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability. An emotional support animal (ESA) is...
Harvard Medical School student Bruce Ramphal has published an analysis of past research on evictions and their health impact, working with collaborators from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard Law School and the Center on the Developing Child at...
A new study using data from Boston analyzes how the characteristics of different landlords impact their actions when it comes to evicting tenants. The study focuses on small versus large landlords, defined as those owning 15 or more properties—a demographic that makes...
Have you ever wondered about the darker past of your home? If so, it’s probably because your realtor didn’t tell you about it. According to Massachusetts State law (G.L. chapter 93, s.114), realtors are not required to tell buyers if homes are “stigmatized” — a...
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced it reached an agreement with the Dallas Housing Authority (DHA) this September, requiring the DHA to pay $500,000 for an alleged housing discrimination violation from 2019. The U.S. Department of...
When it comes to screening and testing Massachusetts military children for lead exposure, there’s no one at the helm to make sure it’s happening, according to a new report from government auditors. And the auditors are questioning the accuracy of Department of Defense...
Ellen applied for a Section 8 housing voucher in 2018 because she was having trouble paying the rent for her Malden apartment, where she lives with her two sons. She works part time at a nursing home. A voucher would be a huge help by covering a portion of her rent...
Two companies that make software for landlords have agreed to pay Massachusetts $100,000 and eliminate a feature that allows property managers to automatically reject prospective tenants with criminal records or people who plan to use government assistance to pay the...
Four housing discrimination cases in Massachusetts, including one in Ashland and another in Wellesley, were settled recently by Attorney General Maura Healey’s office. In each case, potential tenants were denied housing from real estate brokers and agencies based on...
A New Hampshire tenant was awarded $35,000 from the John J. Flatley Company, which owns and runs apartment complexes in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, after an apartment complex wouldn't let the tenant's emotional support dog stay on the property, said federal...