Boston Housing Committee Holds Hearing on Proposed Renters' Bill of Rights

BOSTON -- March 30, 2023, Boston's housing committee convened to build a renters' bill of rights as evictions climb 72 percent year over year. Councilor Kendra Lara, chair of the Committee on Housing and Community Development, convened the March 30 hearing on Docket No. 0412 alongside Council President Edward M. Flynn and Councilors Liz Breadon, Julia M. Mejia, and Ruthzee Louijeune. Deputy Director of Housing Stability Danielle Johnson reported a 90 percent increase in eviction executions and warned that the expiration of Chapter 257 moratorium protections the following day would accelerate displacement. Fair Housing Director Robert Terrell called for in-house discrimination testing to be restored at the Fair Housing Commission, saying direct evidence from tests would strengthen cases that currently fail for lack of proof. Tenant organizer Mary Stathos described being forced from her apartment by Alpha Management after receiving a cease-and-desist letter for organizing her building over a hole in the subfloor, spending thousands of dollars on a private attorney with no city recourse. Housing staff attorney Mark Martinez urged the council to add right-to-counsel in eviction court, eviction record sealing, and limits on upfront moving costs including broker fees, calling Boston the second most expensive rental market in the country. Lara set a three-to-four month community engagement target, aiming to bring a package to the full council before the end of 2023.