Robert Adams Massachusetts Real Estate

Boston Rent Cap and Eviction Law Public Hearing March 14th at 4:00 pm.

3/1/2016

March 1, 2016
Boston Rent Cap and Eviction Law Public Hearing March 14th at 4:00
On March 14th, the Boston City Council will hold a public hearing on a move to cap rents and amend the eviction law in Boston. Members of the public are welcome to attend the meeting which will be held at Boston City Hall, 5th floor in the City Council Chamber at4:00 p.m (please note the hearing was originally scheduled for 2:00).
Current state law provides for "no-fault" evictions. The proposed law if approved by the City Council and the state legislature would fundamentally alter existing landlord tenant law and contractual relations in the City of Boston. Among the proposed changes are:

Prohibiting non-payment of rent until a resident is "habitually late;
Limiting and in some cases prohibiting an owners' right to occupy their own unit for person use or for the use of their family;
Prohibiting evictions for property damage if the tenant agrees to enter into a "reasonable" repayment agreement and not to cause further damage;
Limiting evictions to those of "just cause" as determined by the City;
Mandatory mediation with City selected mediators for lease expirations, terminations of tenancy-at-will and rent increases in excess of 5%;
Granting market tenants the right to remain after the expiration of their lease term;
Limiting terminations of tenancies-at-will;
Limiting rent increases in excess of 5%

No councilors have formally introduced legislation. However a draft has circulated at Boston City Hall and the order for a hearing will allow proponents the opportunity make the case Councilors advance formal legislation.
According to the Boston Globe the measure has the tentative support of Mayor Walsh. Members of the City Council also commented on the proposal in a recent edition of the Banker & Tradesman.
GBREB strongly opposes changes to the eviction law that will severely limit an owner’s ability to evict a tenant and alter existing landlord-tenant law by local option, undermining uniformity across the Commonwealth.