Housing (Renters) in Massachusetts

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 551: An Act providing for rent regulation and control of evictions in manufactured housing parks in the town of Athol

This bill allows the Town of Athol to establish rent regulations and a rent board for manufactured housing parks (mobile home parks) within its borders. The rent board can adjust rents based on factors like property taxes, maintenance costs, and capital improvements, while requiring park owners to register park information under penalty of perjury. It also gives the rent board authority to regulate evictions, with its orders serving as a defense in eviction lawsuits. Violations of rent regulations carry fines up to $1,000. The bill applies exclusively to Athol and takes effect upon passage.

Topics ✓ Housing

Sub-Topics Renters Tenant Rights

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 829: An Act relative to rental protections for elderly, disabled and low-to-middle income tenants

HD 829 protects eligible tenants (65+ or disabled, or with income at or below 80% of area median income) by allowing them to terminate leases early without penalty when moving to qualifying housing. Tenants must provide 30 days' written notice to landlords and can move to housing like nursing homes, public housing, or low-income developments without liability for the remaining lease term. Landlords cannot refuse rentals or housing assistance based on this termination, and lease clauses attempting to block this right are void. The law directly affects these specific tenant groups and their landlords, creating a clear mechanism for lease flexibility.

Topics ✓ Housing

Sub-Topics Landlords Renters Tenant Rights

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 1066: An Act relative to industrial development finance authorities

HD 1066 amends Massachusetts' industrial development finance authority (IDFA) laws to expand eligibility for financing. The key change (Section 3) adds rental housing - including low- and moderate-income housing under Chapter 40B - to the definition of "industrial enterprise," allowing IDFAs to finance such projects. This directly affects municipalities and developers seeking to use IDFA bonds for housing developments. The bill clarifies bond issuance authority (Section 4) and removes outdated references to "MIFA" and other administrative terms throughout the chapter. These changes streamline financing for housing projects under IDFA programs.

Topics ✓ Housing

Sub-Topics Housing Finance Property Development Renters

introduced · Massachusetts · Senate

SD 912: An Act preventing fires and secondhand smoke in non-smoking rental housing

This bill creates a legal presumption that smoking occurred in non-smoking rental units if smoke detectors are removed, covered, or without power - unless the tenant proves otherwise through a third-party inspection. It directly affects landlords and tenants in properties with written no-smoking policies, requiring landlords to maintain working detectors and providing tenants a process to challenge false accusations. Key mechanisms include mandating municipal inspections within 3 business days (with a fee), allowing landlords to prove detector presence via photos or signed inventories, and awarding attorney fees to winning parties. The law explicitly prevents such cases from being treated as nonpayment disputes and protects tenants harmed by detector removal.

Topics ✓ Housing

Sub-Topics Landlords Renters Tenant Rights

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 2652: An Act to address state sanitation code violations regarding infestations of rental units

This bill establishes clear requirements for addressing pest infestations in rental housing. Tenants must provide written notice of infestations and allow landlords or licensed pest control professionals access (with 24-hour notice) to inspect and treat the unit. Landlords must inspect within 5 business days of notice, hire a certified pest control professional within 10 days, and complete treatments until the infestation is controlled, with a final inspection required 30 days after treatment. Landlords cannot be held liable for infestations if they comply with these steps, and they must verify units are pest-free before leasing new tenants.

Topics ✓ Housing

Sub-Topics Landlords Renters Tenant Rights

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 2781: An Act to further lead remediation in rental housing by increasing the deleading credit

This bill increases the deleading credit for rental property owners from $3,000 to $15,000 under Section 6(e) of Chapter 62. It directly affects rental property owners who remediate lead paint hazards in their units. The key provision is a simple monetary adjustment to the existing credit amount, making the remediation cost more affordable. The change applies to all qualifying rental housing units requiring lead paint removal. This is a straightforward funding adjustment with no additional requirements or new mechanisms.

Topics ✓ Housing

Sub-Topics Renters

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 3016: An Act to strengthen supportive housing and reduce healthcare costs for low-income seniors

HD 3016 requires Massachusetts to fund supportive care services for low-income seniors aged 55+ living in qualifying rental housing projects. It mandates the Executive Office of Health and Human Services to pay housing sponsors $2,500 annually per MassHealth enrollee residing in projects with at least 50 units, where MassHealth residents are the majority and cluster contracting with homecare agencies is in place. The law also requires annual reports to the legislature tracking the number of Medicaid recipients in these projects and cost savings from the cluster contracting model. This directly affects qualifying senior housing projects and their residents enrolled in MassHealth.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Housing

Sub-Topics Homelessness Renters

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 2226: An Act relative to preventing algorithmic rent fixing in the rental housing market

HD 2226 prohibits real estate landlords and their agents from using third-party services that algorithmically set rents or coordinate rent increases among landlords. It bans service providers from collecting rental data, analyzing it with algorithms, or recommending pricing terms to landlords, and prevents them from facilitating non-competition agreements between landlords. Violations are treated as unfair competition under existing antitrust laws, allowing tenants to pursue class-action lawsuits in court instead of being forced into arbitration. Successful plaintiffs can recover damages, interest, and legal costs, with the law explicitly invalidating pre-dispute arbitration agreements for these cases.

Topics ✓ Housing ✗ Technology

Sub-Topics Renters Tenant Rights

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 3599: An Act relative to avoiding senior homelessness and maintaining senior housing stabilization of rents

HD 3599 limits annual rent increases for seniors over 60 in private rental housing when their unit is sold to a new owner. It caps rent hikes at the lesser of the local Consumer Price Index change or 5% for five years, provided the tenant is on a public housing waitlist or agrees to apply. The law applies to most private rental units but excludes owner-occupied buildings with two units or less and units already regulated by public authorities. It requires cities/towns to ensure these stabilized units are available to seniors earning 80% or less of the Area Median Income.

Topics ✓ Housing

Sub-Topics Homelessness Homeownership Renters

introduced · Massachusetts · Senate

SD 1651: An Act establishing the gateway cities renewable, efficient, and electrified neighborhoods initiative

This bill creates the GREEN Initiative to retrofit existing low- and moderate-income housing in designated "gateway" municipalities (or smaller qualifying communities) to meet ultra-energy-efficient standards. It requires retrofits to use clean heating (like heat pumps) and cooking technologies (like induction stoves), with priority for buildings under six housing units. Funding comes from utility companies (up to $30 million annually) and other sources, while protecting tenants from rent hikes tied to weatherization work through enforceable "tenant-owner agreements." The goal is to reduce emissions in affordable housing through energy-efficient upgrades powered by renewable electricity where possible.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment ✓ Housing

Sub-Topics Energy Efficiency Affordable Housing Renters

All housing bills