Just cause eviction ordinance

Just cause eviction ordinance draft September 2015

WHEREAS, Rents and costs of living have risen while incomes have remained stagnant. For example, in Roxbury, the average rent for a one-bedroom is over $1,400 a month. A household would need an annual income of over $55,000 to afford this rent without being “ren t burdene d,” that is paying over one-third of their income for housing. But median income in Roxbury, a majority Black and Latino neighborhood, is $32,000 a year.

WHEREAS, Developers have changed the landscape of the city, displacing residents. For example, in Chinatown, over 2000 units of luxury units have been built in and around a traditionally low income, Chinese immigrant community. These luxury units are not affordable for the long-term residents of Chinatown.

WHEREAS, Increased rents disproportionately impact individuals discriminated against due to their age, disability, status as linguistic or national minorities, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.

WHEREAS, The City of Boston is facing an affordable housing emergency. ORDERED, That a petition to the General Court, accompanied by a bill for a special law relating to the City of Boston to be filed with an attested copy of this order be, and hereby is, approved under Clause 1 of Section 8 of Article II, as amended, of the Articles of Amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, to the end that legislation be adopted precisely as follows, except for clerical or editorial changes of form only:

PETITION FOR A SPECIAL LAW RE: JUST CAUSE EVICTIONS ON CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY IN THE CITY OF BOSTON

Article I - Just Cause for Eviction Ordinance Preamble:

WHEREAS , the deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to protect forthwith the citizens and neighborhoods of Boston, therefore it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public convenience. 1.00 - Just Cause for Eviction Introductory Clauses.

WHEREAS, Boston has increasingly become an unaffordable and economically unequal city where low and moderate income families and communities of color are rent burdened and facing displacement, and

WHEREAS, the recent foreclosure crisis had a devastating impact on rental housing in Boston. From 2006-2012, at least 1,300 Boston families were foreclosed on, most of who were displaced and pushed into the rental market; over 4,600 residential properties changed hands through foreclosure.

WHEREAS, corporate, non-resident and speculator landlords are purchasing homes in our communities, evicting current residents and raising rents to attract wealthier tenants, and

WHEREAS, cuts in government spending for housing has added pressure to the private rental market. The Boston Housing Authority has a waitlist of 40,000 households for 15,000 units while budget cuts eliminate 1,500 rental subsidies last year, and

WHEREAS, profit-driven development has taken place without regard to those who currently call Boston home. For example, in East Boston, the Boston Redevelopment Authority has approved over 1,000 units of luxury development. The resulting pressures cause rent increases at an average of 30 percent per year. At this rate, only one in ten current residents in East Boston, the majority of whom are Latino, will be able to stay in this largely Latino immigrant neighborhood, and

WHEREAS, rents and costs of living have risen while incomes have remained stagnant. For example, in Roxbury, the average rent for a one-bedroom is over $1,400 a month. A household would need an annual income over $55,000 to afford this rent without being “rent burden e d,” that is paying over one -third of their income for housing. But median income in Roxbury, a majority Black and Latino neighborhood, is $32,000 a year, and

WHEREAS, developers have changed the landscape of the city, displacing residents. For example, in Chinatown, over 2000 units of luxury units have been built in and around a traditionally low income, Chinese immigrant community. These luxury units are not affordable for the long-term residents of Chinatown.These luxury units are not affordable for the long-term residents of Chinatown, and

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the City of Boston seeks to expand affordable housing in Boston, and

WHEREAS, the right to occupancy of safe, decent, and sanitary housing is a human right, and

WHEREAS, the City of Boston's prolonged affordable housing crisis disproportionately impacts low income and working class households, senior citizens, people of color, and people with disabilities, and thereby increases homelessness and crime, harms neighborhood stability and cohesion, and damages business prospects for small businesses, and

WHEREAS, the Mayor, Martin J. Walsh, has emphasized maintaining affordable housing as a central aim of his administration, and

WHEREAS, Boston’s real estate market is pushing low income families out of Boston, using no fault evictions, and

WHEREAS, the absence of a local law prohibiting a landlord from evicting a tenant without cause is a significant barrier to maintaining affordable housing in the city of Boston, and

WHEREAS, residential tenants, who constitute approximately 67 percent of the residents of Boston, would suffer great and serious hardship if forced to move from their homes, and

WHEREAS, basic fairness requires that a landlord must not terminate the tenancy of a residential tenant without good, just, non-arbitrary, and non-discriminatory reasons, and

WHEREAS, the cause eviction protections enacted in municipal jurisdictions across the country, including New Jersey, Berkeley, Hayward, Oakland, and San Francisco in California, and Seattle in Washington, have aided community stability and reduced urban problems associated with arbitrary disruption of stable households, and

WHEREAS, the general welfare of all citizens of Boston would be enhanced by a no fault eviction mediation process, Therefore, the city of Boston hereby enacts this ordinance, prohibiting a landlord from terminating a tenancy without cause.

3 - Purpose.

The purpose of this chapter is to defend and nurture the stability of housing and neighborhoods in the city of Boston by protecting tenants against arbitrary, unreasonable, discriminatory, or retaliatory evictions, thereby maintaining diversity in Boston neighborhoods and communities while recognizing the rights of rental property owners. This chapter is intended to address housing problems in the City of Boston so as to preserve the public health, safety, and welfare, and to advance the housing policies of the city with regard to low and fixed income persons, people of color, students, and those needing special protections pursuant to M.G.L. c. 151B, § 4.

4 - Definitions.

"Child/Parent" means a child/parent relationship in which a child is either a parent's biological child or adopted child, provided that such relationship was established prior to the child's eighteenth (18) birthday and at least one year prior to the attempted eviction. At the time of attempted eviction, a child of an owner of record must be over the age of eighteen (18) or be emancipated. “Entity” a business organization, or any other kind of organization including, without limitation, a corporation, partnership, trust, limited liability corporation, limited liability partnership, joint venture, sole proprietorship or any other category of organization and any employee, agent, servant or other representative of such entity.

"Grandchild” means a g randparent/child relationship in which a grandchild is either a grandparent’s biological grand child or adopted grandchild, provided that such relationship was established prior to the child’s eighteenth (18) birthday and at least one year prior to the attempted eviction, a grandchild of an owner of record must be over the age of eighteen (18) or be emancipated. "Health Facility" means any facility, place or building that is organized, maintained, and operated for the diagnosis, care, and treatment of human illness, physical or mental, including convalescence and rehabilitation, and including care during and after pregnancy, or for any one or more of these purposes.

"Housing accommodation” means a building or structure, or part thereof or land appurtenant thereto, and any other real or personal property used, rented or offered for rent for living or dwelling purposes, together with all services connected with the use or occupancy of such property.

"Housing authority” a public body politic and corporate created pursuant to M.G.L. c. 121B, §3.

"Landlord" means an owner of record, or lessor or sublessor of an owner of record, or any other person or entity entitled either to receive rent for the use or occupancy of any rental unit or to maintain an action for possession of a rental unit, or an agent, including, but not limited to, any person who manages, controls, and/or customarily accept rent on behalf of the owner, representative, or successor of any of the foregoing.

"Mediator” means an individual , or organization, that is a Boston city mediator or a city-approved mediator.

"Mediation completion certificate” means

a certificate verifying the landlord’s good faith participation in a City-sponsored mediation. "Mediation program or mediation" means the mediation program established in the City of Boston pursuant to this ordinance and described in § 6 A.9 (a-h).

"Notice of Lease Expiration” is a notice required by § 6 mandating that landlords provide tenants with expiring leases notice of mediation rights thirty (30) days or one rental period, whichever is longer, prior to expiration of the lease.

"Owner of record” means an entity that holds title in any capacity, directly or indirectly, without limitation, whether in its own name, as trustee or as beneficiary, to a housing accommodation. "Property" means a parcel of real property, located in the City of Boston that is assessed and taxed as an undivided whole.

"Qualified relative” means the owner of record's spouse, domestic partner, child, parent, grandparent, or grandchild . "Rent" means the consideration, including any deposit, bonus, benefit, or gratuity demanded or received for, or in connection with, the use or occupancy of rental units and housing services. Such consideration shall include, but not be limited to, monies and fair value of goods or services rendered to or for the benefit of the landlord under the rental agreement, or in exchange for a rental unit or housing services of any kind. "Rental Agreement" means an agreement, oral, written, or implied, between a landlord and a tenant for the use and/or occupancy of a rental unit. "Rental Housing Resource Center" means the city of Boston’s Rental Housing Resource Center.

"Rent increase” means any notice from the owner of record to increase the monthly rental amount, or provision of any new lease that has higher rental payments than the previous lease, as long as the increase in the monthly rental amount is greater than a 5 percent increase.

"Rental Unit" (aka Unit, aka Premises) means any unit in any real property, regardless of zoning status, including the land appurtenant thereto, that is rented or available for rent for residential use or occupancy (regardless of whether the unit is also used for other purposes), together with all housing services connected with use or occupancy of such property, such as common areas and recreational facilities held out for use by the tenant.

"Skilled Nursing Facility" means a health facility or a distinct part of a hospital that provides, at a minimum, skilled nursing care and supportive care to patients whose primary medical need is the availability of skilled nursing care on an extended basis. Such facility must provide twenty-four (24) hour inpatient care, an activity program, and medical, nursing, dietary, pharmaceutical services. Additionally, the facility must provide effective arrangements, confirmed in writing, through which services required by the patients but not regularly provided within the facility can be obtained promptly when needed.

"Tenant" means any renter, tenant, subtenant, lessee, or sublessee of a rental unit, or any group of renters, tenants, subtenants, lessees, sublessees of a rental unit, or any other person entitled to the use or occupancy of such rental unit, or any successor of any of the foregoing. "Tenants' Advocacy Organization" means any tenants union or similar organization.

"Subsidized housing” means any housing subsidized by the federal or state government, whether through a housing authority or subsidy program, as defined in the applicable federal or state statute, whether operated by any public agency or any nonprofit or limited dividend organization. 5- Applicability. The provisions of this chapter shall apply to all rental units in whole or in part, including where a notice to quit any such rental unit has been served as of the effective date of this chapter but where any such rental unit has not yet been vacated or an summary

5- Applicability.

The provisions of this chapter shall apply to all rental units in whole or in part, including where a notice to quit any such rental unit has been served as of the effective date of this chapter but where any such rental unit has not yet been vacated or an summary process judgment has not been issued as of the effective date of this chapter and at the expiration of the lease term. However, Section 6 [6] and Section 7(A)-(E) [7(A) through 7(E)] of the chapter [Article I] shall not apply to the following types of rental units:

A. Rental units in any hospital, skilled nursing facility, or health facility.

B. Rental units in a nonprofit facility that has the primary purpose of providing short term treatment, assistance, or therapy for alcohol, drug, or other substance abuse and the housing is provided incident to the recovery program, and where the client has been informed in writing of the temporary or transitional nature of the housing at its inception.

C. Rental units in a nonprofit facility which provides a structured living environment that has the primary purpose of helping homeless persons obtain the skills necessary for independent living in permanent housing and where occupancy is restricted to a limited and specific period of time of not more than twenty-four (24) months and where the client has been informed in writing of the temporary or transitional nature of the housing at its inception.

D. Rental units in a residential property where the owner of record occupies a unit in the same property as his or her principal residence and regularly shares in the use of kitchen or bath facilities with the tenants of such rental units. For purposes of this section, the term owner of record shall not include any person who claims a homeowner's property tax exemption on any other real property in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

E. Any rental unit where the owner of record is a Boston Resident who owns four or less units and occupies one of those units.

F. A unit that is held in trust on behalf of a developmentally disabled individual who permanently occupies the unit, or a unit that is permanently occupied by a developmentally disabled parent, sibling, child, or grandparent of the owner of that unit.

G. Any rental unit that is owned or managed by a college or university for the express purpose of housing undergraduate or graduate students.

6 - Cause Required for Eviction.

6 A. No landlord shall endeavor to recover possession...unless

A. No landlord shall endeavor to recover possession, issue a notice terminating tenancy, or recover possession of a rental unit in the City of Boston unless the landlord is able to prove the existence of one of the following grounds:

1. The tenant has continued, after written notice to cease, to substantially violate a material term of the tenancy other than the obligation to surrender possession on proper notice as required by law.

2. The tenant, who had an oral or written agreement with the landlord which has terminated, has refused after written request or demand by the landlord to execute a written extension or renewal thereof for a further term of like duration and under such terms which are materially the same as in the previous agreement; provided,that such terms do not conflict with any of the provisions of this chapter. [Article I Just Cause Eviction Legislation].

3. The tenant has willfully caused substantial damage to the premises beyond normal wear and tear and, after written notice, has refused to cease damaging the premises, or has refused to either make satisfactory correction or to pay the reasonable costs of repairing such damage over a reasonable period of time.

4. The tenant has continued, following written notice to cease to be so disorderly as to destroy the peace and quiet of other tenants at the property.

5. The tenant has used the rental unit or the common areas of the premises for an illegal purpose including the manufacture, sale, or use of illegal drugs.

6. The tenant has, after written notice to cease, continued to deny landlord access to the unit as required by state law.

7. The tenant has, after written notice to cease, habitually and without legal justification failed to pay rent which is due and owing.

8. The owner of record seeks in good faith, to recover possession for his or her own use and occupancy as his or her principal residence, or for the use and occupancy as a principal residence by qualified relatives.

a. Where the owner of record recovers possession under this Subsection 6(A)(8) [6 A.8], and where continuous occupancy for the purpose of recovery by the owner of record or qualified relatives is less than thirty-six (36) months, such recovery of the residential unit shall be a presumed violation of this chapter.

b. The owner of record may not recover possession pursuant to this subsection more than once in any thirty-six (36) month period,

c. The owner of record or a qualified relative must move into the unit within three (3) months of the tenant's vacation of the premises.

d. A landlord may not recover possession of a unit from a tenant under Subsection 6(A)(8) [6 A.8], if the landlord has or receives notice, any time before recovery of possession, that any tenant in the rental unit:

i. Has been residing in the unit for five (5) years or more; and (a) Is sixty (60) years of age or older; or (b) Is a disabled tenant as defined in M.G.L c. 151B, s. 4, subsections 6,7 and 7A; or (c) Has a child in K-12 education and the owner of record seeks to terminate tenancy during the school year.

ii. Has been residing in the unit for five (5) years or more, and is a catastrophically ill tenant, defined as a person who is disabled as defined by Subsection (d)(i)(b) [M.G.L c. 151B, s. 4, subsections 6,7 and 7A]] and who suffers from a life threatening illness as certified by his or her primary care physician.

e. The provisions of Subsection (d) [6 A.8.d] above shall not apply where the landlord's qualified relative who will move into the unit is 60 years of age or older, disabled or catastrophically ill as defined by Subsection (d) [6 A.10.d], and where every rental unit owned by the landlord is occupied by a tenant otherwise protected from eviction by Subsection (d) [6 A.8.d].

f. Once a landlord has successfully recovered possession of a rental unit pursuant to Subsection 6(A)(8) [6 A.8], no other current landlords may recover possession of any other rental unit in the building under Subsection 6(A)(8) [6 A.8]. Only one specific unit per building may undergo a Subsection 6(A)(8) [6 A.8] eviction. Any future evictions taking place in the same building under Subsection 6(A)(8) [6 A.8] must be of that same unit, provided that a landlord may commence eviction proceedings, claiming that disability or other similar hardship prevents him or her from occupying a unit that was previously the subject of a Subsection 6(A)(8) [6 A.8] eviction.

g. A notice terminating tenancy under this Subsection must contain the notice requirements necessary in M.G.L. Chapter 186 Sections 10-13 as well as the following:

i A listing of all property owned by the intended owner and future occupant(s).

ii The address of the real property, if any, on which the intended future occupant(s) claims a homeowner's property tax exemption.

iii A statement informing the tenant, if they are being evicted for failure to accept a rent increase, that they have a right to request mediation with a city mediator, or a city approved mediator, and that a list of community advocates, who could advocate on behalf of a tenant, during mediation, is available from the Rental Housing Resource Center. After completing mediation, if the tenant and landlord fail to agree on a rent increase, a mediator will provide the landlord and the tenant with a mediation completion certificate.

6 A.9 no fault mediation

9. The owner seeks a no fault eviction after completion of the mediation program or after a tenant fails to request mediation. The no fault mediation process shall proceed as following:

6 A.9.a no-fault mediation aplies when

a. If a landlord sends any of the following notices to a tenant, this section applies:

i No fault notice to quit.

ii Notice of rent increase.

iii Notice of lease expiration.

6 A.9.b,c landlord is required to

b. A landlord intending to not renew a lease must send a notice of lease expiration to a tenant thirty (30) days or one rental period prior to expiration of the lease period, whichever is greater.

c. Landlords shall simultaneously send a copy of all notices listed in Subsection 9(a) to the Rental Housing Resource Center. These notices shall be accessible to tenant advocacy groups.

6 A.9.d,e,f tenant is required to

d. When presented with a notice listed under Subsection 9(a), tenants may file a request for a City-Sponsored, or City approved, mediation, which shall take place no later than thirty (30) days after being requested.

e. The tenant’s request shall prompt referral, from the rental housing resource center, to a language appropriate tenants’ advocacy organization.

f. If requesting a mediation, the tenant must provide written notice to the landlord of such request within the thirty (30) day period of the no fault notice to quit.

6 A.9.g,h mediation process

g. Landlords, or their authorized agent, must mediate with individual tenants over the rental increase, or, if the individual belongs to a tenants’ advocacy organization, with the organization. Agreement is voluntary.

h. If agreement is reached during mediation, then the mediator may provide assistance in creating a record of the rental contract if desired by the parties involved.

6 A.9.i,j if no agreement

i. If no agreement is reached following service of a no fault notice to quit, then the landlord shall receive a mediation completion certificate, and only then may proceed with a no fault eviction in compliance with procedure established in all applicable Massachusetts and municipal ordinances for landlord tenant disputes including, but not limited to, MGL c. 239, MGL c. 121B,s.32 MGL c. 121B, s.32 MGL c. 139, s.19 MGL c. 184, s.18 MGL 186, MGL c. 186, s.13 MGL c. 186, s.13A MGL c. 186, s.14.

j. The landlord must file the original mediation completion certificate with the summons and complaint in order to proceed with a no fault eviction.

6 B landlord gotcha's

B. The following additional provisions shall apply to a landlord who seeks to recover a rental unit pursuant to Subsection 6(A) [6 A]:

1. The burden of proof shall be on the landlord in any eviction action to which this order is applicable to prove compliance with Section 6 [6].

2. A landlord shall not endeavor to recover possession of a rental unit unless at least one of the grounds enumerated in Subsection 6(A) [6 A] above is stated in the notice and that ground is the landlord's dominant motive for recovering possession and the landlord acts in good faith in seeking to recover possession.

3. Where a landlord seeks to evict a tenant under a cause ground, she or he must do so according to procedure established in all applicable Massachusetts and municipal ordinances for landlord tenant disputes including, but not limited to, MGL c. 239, MGL c. 121B,s.32 MGL c. 121B, s.32 MGL c. 139, s.19 MGL c. 184, s.18 MGL 186, MGL c. 186, s.13 MGL c. 186, s.13A MGL c. 186, s.14.

4. Subsection 6(B)(3) [6 B.3] shall not be construed to obviate the need for a notice terminating tenancy to be stated in the alternative where so required under all application Massachusetts and Municipal Ordinances for landlord tenant disputes.

7 - Remedies.

A. Remedies for violation of mediation requirement in no fault evictions as described in Subsection 6(9) (a-j)

1. Failure by the landlord to simultaneously send a copy of a no fault notice to quit to the Rental Housing Resource Center shall constitute grounds for dismissal.

2. Failure by the landlord to inform a tenant about his or her right to request mediation in a no fault notice to quit shall constitute grounds for dismissal.

3. If mediation was requested by a tenant, failure by the landlord to obtain a mediation certificate, prior to the commencement of a no fault eviction action shall constitute grounds for dismissal.

4. A tenant who prevails in an action brought by a landlord, for possession of the premises, where the landlord failed to obtain a mediation certificate prior to the commencement of a no fault eviction, shall be entitled to recover actual damages or three months rent, whichever is greater, costs, and reasonable attorney's fees.

5. An owner of record who evicts a tenant in violation of this chapter or any ordinance or by-law adopted pursuant to this chapter shall be punished by a fine of not less than $1,000 to be paid to the City of Boston. Each such illegal eviction shall constitute a separate offense.

6. The remedies available in this section shall be in addition to any other existing remedies, which may be available to the tenant.

B. Authorization of Corporate Counsel to enforce the Ordinance. Corporate Counsel shall have the authority to enforce provisions of this ordinance; to bring actions for injunctive relief on behalf of the city, or on behalf of tenants seeking compliance by landlords with the ordinance.

C. It shall be unlawful for a landlord or any other person who willfully assists the landlord to endeavor to recover possession or to evict a tenant except as provided in Subsection 6(A) [6 A].

8. Exemption

for subsidized housing Housing authorities and landlords operating subsidized housing are exempt from this chapter and its application for the express purpose of avoiding federal preemption.

9 - Non-waiverability.

The provisions of this chapter may not be waived and any term of any lease, contract, or other agreement which purports to waive or limit a tenant's substantive or procedural rights under this ordinance are contrary to public policy, unenforceable, and void.

10 - Partial invalidity.

If any provision of this chapter or application thereof is held to be invalid, this invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of this chapter which can be given effect without the invalid provisions or applications, and to this end the provisions and applications of this chapter are severable

Tim's summary of just cause eviction law

back to text of the law

summary

There will be city run mediation on any rent increase over 5% and on every lease expiration or renewal where there are any changes to the rental agreement. Any time that happens the landlord has to file paperwork with the City of Boston. Mediation can then be required. There are many grounds for dismissal. The results are not mandatory unless the landlord makes a mistake. Mistakes could include: not being able to prove compliance with everything in the 41 provisions of section 6 of the law, or failure to follow the procedures in any of 20 other some odd laws or municipal ordinances, a problem with the wording on the paperwork, or a challenge to the landlord's dominant motive or good faith. If mediation happens and the tenant wins and the landlord decides not to honor it, if he doesn't file the mediation certificate just so he can be liable for damages, lawyers fees and 3 months rent. The process would start 30 days before the end of the lease, mediation would likely start after the lease had already expired and the whole process would likely take months and cost lots in time and/or legal fees.

how the building runs now

Apartments are maintained but no significant renovation takes place on an apartments while it is home to its current residents. On average 6-10 years passes between tenancies and renovation takes place then. When an apartment is listed, it is generally listed at slightly below market rates. Rents generally do not go up for current tenants for 10 years. There are exceptions; Manuel and Maria's rent went up $10/month when I did a quick renovation of the kitchen to add a requested dishwasher. After 10 year there have been rent increases of %20 which turns out to less than 2%/year. This formula works fine for the building and rewards tenants for longevity, creates a stable community and it allows households to effectively sock away at 5% a year compared to paying rising rents.

what the law means for 255 Chestnut

When a long term tenancy has ended it will be arduous and a bureaucratic and legal quagmire to make a case for a rent increase to approximate market rates. Most likely we would get rejected like we used to get rejected for rent increases under rent control. Keeping the rates steady for 10 years and then raising them 20% would also get rejected. Essentially the law punishes you for keeping your rents low. So we would have to change things. Every year, at the end of any lease, we would have to raise everybody's rent <=5%. We could then maintain control and responsibility for the building.

what the law means to me

The new law will make the house different. There will be more turnover since household don't have the stable rent incentive to stay for a while. More turnover will mean it costs more to run the building. For 255 Chestnut at least, the law will make it less 'affordable for the long-term residents'.

references

You could pay for a copy of the law or strain to see this one or you could look at my imperfect transcription

Tenants survey on proposed just cause eviction law

City Life and many progressive organization are pushing for adoption of a just cause eviction ordinance ?

1. Have you heard of the Just Cause Eviction Ordinance?

2. From what you know do you support this effort?

I support the idea of Just Cause Evictions and have gone over the proposed law to see how it would affect 225 Chestnut. From my standpoint as a landlord, these are the salient points that will affect how we run the building:

There will be city run mediation on any rent increase over 5% and on every lease expiration or renewal where there are any changes to the rental agreement. Any time that happens the landlord has to file paperwork with the City of Boston. Mediation can then be required. There are many grounds for dismissal. The results are not mandatory unless the landlord makes a mistake. Mistakes could include: not being able to prove compliance with everything in the 41 provisions of section 6 of the law, or failure to follow the procedures in any of 20 other some odd laws or municipal ordinances, a problem with the wording on the paperwork, or a challenge to the landlord's dominant motive or good faith. If mediation happens and the tenant wins and the landlord decides not to honor it, if he doesn't file the mediation certificate just so he can be liable for damages, lawyers fees and 3 months rent. The process would start 30 days before the end of the lease, mediation would likely start after the lease had already expired and the whole process would likely take months and cost lots in time and/or legal fees.

3. If you are familiar with the proposed law, does this summary of its requirement seem correct?

how the building runs now

Apartments are maintained but no significant renovation takes place on an apartments while it is home to its current residents. On average 6-10 years passes between tenancies and renovation takes place then. When an apartment is listed, it is generally listed at slightly below market rates. Rents generally do not go up for current tenants for 10 years. There are exceptions; Manuel and Maria's rent went up $10/month when I did a quick renovation of the kitchen to add a requested dishwasher. After 10 year there have been rent increases of %20 which turns out to less than 2%/year. This formula works fine for the building and rewards tenants for longevity, creates a stable community and it allows households to sock effectively sock away at 5% a year compared to paying rising rents.

4. From what you know and experience does this seem essentially accurate?

what the law means for 255 Chestnut

When a long term tenancy has ended it will be arduous and a bureaucratic and legal quagmire to make a case for a rent increase to approximate market rates. Most likely we would get rejected like we used to get rejected for rent increases under rent control. Keeping the rates steady for 10 years and then raising them 20% would also get rejected. Essentially the law punishes you for keeping your rents low. So we would have to change things. Every year, at the end of any lease, we would have to raise everybody's rent <=5%. We could then maintain control and responsibility for the building.

5. Does this seem to be a reasonable response by us as the landlords?

what the law means to me

The new law will make the house different. There will be more turnover since household don't have the stable rent incentive to stay for a while. More turnover will mean it costs more to run the building. For 255 Chestnut at least, the law will make it less 'affordable for the long-term residents'.

6. Do you thinks this assessment is essentially correct?

6. Will these changes made to accommodate the new ordinance change your view on living at 255 Chestnut?

7. Do you think you would be more likely to move out if rent increased by up to 5% a year, every year?

8. In your opinion does the overall public good of the proposed law outweigh the changes they will likely cause at 255 Chestnut?

There is a hearing on the proposed law on Monday, March 14 at 4 PM at Boston City Hall

letter to tenants

Dear residents of 255 Chestnut,

City Life and many progressive organization are pushing for adoption of a just cause eviction ordinance. There is a hearing on the proposed law on Monday, March 14 at 4 PM at Boston City Hall. I have studied how this proposal will affect 255 Chestnut. The text of the ordinance can be squinted at or pruchased here: this one or you could look at my imperfect transcription. I have summarized its affects put most of that in a survey for you. I end up supporting the intention but not the implementation. I would appreciate your feedback.

here is the survey

Hmm it wouldn't let me ask the last question unless I paid them. It is