City Councilor Lydia Edwards (District 1) held a virtual “coffee hour” Saturday morning via Facebook Live to discuss housing concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic. She was joined by Joey Michalakes, an attorney at Greater Boston Legal Services, to discuss housing resources and tenant/landlord rights as well as answer questions from residents online. Councilor Edwards, who Read More…
The Boston City Council had a full agenda for their second-ever virtual council meeting. Much of the conversation focused on the impacts of COVID-19 on Boston residents and workers, as well as on housing and businesses. The Council spoke about resolutions that can be enacted now, and how the city can prepare for future recovery. Read More…
District One City Councilor Lydia Edwards, who is also the Chair of the Boston City Council Committee on Housing and Community Development, is proposing a reallocation of $2 million of Community Preservation Act revenue to an emergency rental voucher program to provide relief for residents economically impacted by COVID-19. The Community Preservation Act (CPA) typically provides Read More…
Katie Forde from Boston’s Office of Housing Stability (OHS) gave a presentation about resources and tenants rights at the February North End/Waterfront Residents’ Association (NEWRA) meeting. Part of the Department of Neighborhood Development, the OHS was created in 2016. Its primary goals are to: Assist Bostonians with identifying and accessing rental housing they can afford, Read More…
Katie Forde, Operations Manager for the City of Boston’s Office of Housing Stability discussed tenant and landlord rights at the February 2020 North End/Waterfront Neighborhood Council (NEWNC) meeting. As a branch of the Department of Neighborhood Development, the Office of Housing Stability assists residents in a variety of ways including finding affordable housing, educating landlords Read More…
Councilor Kenzie Bok, representing District 8, gave her first speech at this week’s City Council meeting regarding a hearing to explore the current state of housing cooperatives and strategies for its further expansion. The City of Boston has increasingly seen transient residents who can no longer afford to remain in their neighborhoods and find themselves Read More…
Mayor Marty Walsh expressed his bold vision for Boston in this week’s State of the City with his biggest priorities being housing, transportation, and Boston Public Schools. Housing Walsh wants $500 million to build thousands of homes across the city of Boston over a five-year period. However, he said he will need help from state Read More…
The Boston City Council wants to make sure short-term rental units are following the new rules. At a hearing Thursday afternoon at City Hall, the council met to make sure AirBnb is complying with the new regulations. Those who choose to list their homes on AirBnb must register their units with the city and follow Read More…
Benjamin Adeyinka, Housing Court Deputy Court Administrator presented resources offered by the Housing Court at the September North End / Waterfront Neighborhood Council meeting. Watch Adeyinka’s presentation in the video above and follow along with this timeline. (1:30) The housing court was started in 1972 in Boston to combat urban blight. There are now six Read More…
In a historic space well-known for being at the center of important events, the Old North Church, in partnership with Historic Boston Inc., provided a forum for a panel discussion on housing. The panel, comprised of Donna Brown who acted as Moderator, Christine Clements, Angie Liou, and Raber Umphenour, lent insights and experiences toward exploring Read More…
At a recent Boston City Council meeting, Councilor-at-large Althea Garrison requested a hearing on rent control as a way to combat the housing crisis in Boston. Garrison supports rent control, saying residents are being evicted at high rates and landlords need to be held accountable. She said low-income families are often forced to rent at Read More…
Boston City Councilor Althea Garrison wants rent control back in the city of Boston. During the regular city council meeting, Garrison requested a hearing on rent control as a way to combat the housing crisis in the city. “There is a major housing crisis in the city of Boston,” she said. “Landlords frequently refuse to Read More…