►
From YouTube: Committee on Government Operations on February 26, 2021
Description
Docket #0238 - Ordinance extending and enhancing protections for tenants facing displacement by condominium or cooperative conversion
A
B
Thank
you
counselor
edwards
and
want
to
say
thank
you
to
you,
council
edwards,
for
the
important
work
you
are
doing,
working
closely
with
sheila
dylan
and
tim
and
and
brian
and
chris
english,
as
well
in
the
in
the
mayor
mayor,
walsh's
team.
I'll,
be
very
brief,
just
want
to
say
I
support
this
proposal.
I
want
to
make
it
I
want
to
strengthen
it
like
we
all
do
and
looking
forward
to
seeing
what
we
can
do
to
provide
more
protections
for
our
seniors
persons
with
disabilities.
C
Same
same
sentiment,
thank
you,
madam
chair,
for
your
work
in
this
space
and
not
just
during
your
tenure
as
a
city
council,
but
also
your
life
prior
to
this
and
your
advocacy
around
affordable
housing.
It's
the
issue
that
we
struggle
with
as
a
city
and
as
an
at-large
counselor.
I
see
it
in
every
single
neighborhood,
so
we
are
blessed
to
have
the
team
that
we
have
in
our
city,
with
under
the
leadership
of
sheila,
dillon
and
tim
and
their
team
there.
D
Thank
you,
madam
chair,
thank
you
for
your
leadership
and
I
also
want
to
thank
the
team
for
all
the
great
hard
work.
I
have
no
idea
how
much
work
has
gone
into
this,
but
I
know
it's
a
lot
and
I
really
appreciate
all
that
effort,
and
I
really
I
want
to
intimate
echo
the
sentiments
of
my
colleagues
that
this
is
critically
critically
important
in
protecting
folks
who
are
vulnerable
to
eviction
and
displacement
by
condo
conversion.
So
that's
all
I
have
to
say
thank
you
all.
A
E
E
So
I
do
want
to
thank
you
for
your
extensive
work
on
a
host
of
fronts
and
and
also
mac
who's,
still,
the
best
and
and
and
and
technically
coming
out
of
retirement,
although
it
doesn't
feel
like
you
ever
left
this
work
mac.
So,
but
thank
you.
Thank
you,
council,
edwards
and
very
happy
to
be
here
for
this
working
session.
F
F
We
all
we,
you
know
we
are
here
to
extend
the
condo
conversion
ordinance,
but
we
know
we
know
that
it
wasn't
strong
enough.
It
had
too
many
loopholes
and
it
needed
to
be
strengthened.
You
know
there
and
I
think
what
is
it
really?
Every
time
I
see
a
a
building
that
it
screams
out
vacant.
You
know
vacant
vacant.
F
You
know
that
is
like
a
premium
when,
when
owners
are
putting
things
on
the
market
and
it
screams
out
to
me
either
you
know
hi
reds
are
going
to
go
way
up
or
it's
going
to
be
converted
to
condominiums
more
easily.
So
I
think
what
we're
going
to
hear
you
know
we're
discussing
here
today
is
really
is
going
to
make
a
difference
for
for
tenants
and
it's
going
to
be
harder
for
to
displace
them
to
achieve
a
condo
conversion,
but
tim.
F
G
G
I'm
happy
to
be
here
today
to
discuss
the
existing
ordinance
and
the
proposed
changes
that
the
wallace
administration
has
worked
on
in
concert
with
councillor
edwards
and
mack
mcrae
from
greater
boston
legal
services.
First,
I
think
it
would
be
useful
to
understand
the
scale
of
conversions
in
boston.
G
216
buildings
were
converted
into
2020
down.
Eight
percent
from
2019.
580
rental
units
were
converted
to
condos
in
2020
down
7
from
2019..
This
represents
less
than
one
unit
for
every
330
rental
units
in
boston
in
2020.
The
neighborhoods,
with
the
highest
number
of
buildings
converted
were
east
boston
and
dorchester,
but
the
highest
number
of
units
converted
were
in
east
boston,
dorchester
and
south
boston.
G
G
As
a
result,
in
2020
the
conversion
of
26,
there
were
26
buildings
containing
140
units
that
were
covered
by
the
current
ordinance.
Despite
this
limitation,
there
are
improvements
we
can
and
should
make
under
the
current
ordinance.
There
is
no
process
to
assure
that
tenants
are
informed
of
their
rights
in
a
timely
fashion.
G
G
In
order
to
address
these
deficiencies,
the
2021
revision
calls
for
a
condominium
conversion
permit
system
which
will
assure
that
tenants,
know
their
rights
and
owners
and
do
not
try
to
skirt
the
law.
This
permanent
process
is
as
follows:
anyone
seeking
to
convert
a
four-plus
unit
building
to
condos
must
provide
notice
to
the
tenants,
the
tenant.
The
notification
must
include
language
that
the
office
of
housing
stability
will
have
publicly
available
on
its
website.
They
will
also
have
to
notify
the
office
of
housing
disability.
G
G
In
addition
to
this
permitting
process,
the
ordinance
increases
the
relocation
benefits
from
ten
thousand
to
fifteen
thousand
dollars
for
eligible
tenants
who
are
those
62
and
older
disabled
and
or
have
income
of
less
than
80
percent
of
every
needed
income.
For
all
other
tenants.
The
relocation
benefits
is
increased
from
six
thousand
to
ten
thousand.
This
increase
reflects
the
high
cost
of
boston,
rents
and
relocation
costs.
G
G
H
Thank
you
thanks
tim,
I
I
didn't
have
you
prepared
remarks
for
today
just
to
again
to
be
here
as
a
resource?
I
would
note
that
I
did.
I
started
my
career
with
the
city
of
boston
and
consumer
affairs,
doing
landlord
tenant
issues
back
in
1985
with
then
mayor,
mayor
flynn,
and
I
I
don't
know
what
that
means
that
I'm
here
we're
working
on
this
with
his
with
his
son
now.
I
I
know
that
we
first
engaged
in
this
process
in
2019
and
we
had
gotten
fairly
far
in
a
conversation
then,
but
we
realized
that
we
probably
should
wait,
because
there
were
a
new
group
of
counselors
that
were
coming
in
to
give
them
the
opportunity
to
take
a
take,
a
look
at
all
this
and
then
the
pandemic
hit.
So
it
took
us
a
bit
longer
to
get
this
all
done,
and
I
know
that
because
of
that
we
had
the
the
council
had
to
extend
beyond
the
one
year
extension.
I
You
had
to
do
a
little
bit
further
extensions
just
to
get
this
all
rolled
together.
I
think
the
process
and
the
final
product
has
really
benefited
from
all
the
working
sessions
that
you've
done.
There
have
each
been
contributions
that
different
counselors
have
made
to
this
draft.
For
example,
councillor
bach
had
a
suggestion
about
you
know
where
condo
conversion
was
happening
in
order
to
do
a
financing
scheme
as
part
of
preserving
affordable
housing
that
that
might
be
an
exception.
I
I
How
are
we
going
to
make
the
mechanics
of
this
work
both
to
make
sure
there
was
a
good
notice
system
and
a
responsive
consumer
relationship
with
the
public
that
was
affected
by
this,
as
well
as
a
good
permitting
system
and
so
having
the
two-tier
system
of
having
then
the
plan
and
the
notification
system
with
ohs
and
isd?
I
know
it
took
a
little
while
there
had
to
be
a
few
conversations
to
work
out
those
details,
but
I
think
it
all
works
fairly
well
and
will
be
a
good
system
going
forward.
I
I
do
very
much
appreciate
the
leadership
that
everyone's
taken,
particularly
in
focusing
on
the
fact
that
we
had
issues
where
buildings
would
get
cleared
out,
and
then
we
wouldn't
know
about
it
afterwards
and
so
doing
the
look
back
provision
making
sure
we
have
the
documentation
when
units
come
in
all
will
help.
I
will
just
once
again
emphasize,
and
I
can't
agree
more
with
what
counselor
box
said.
I
agree
that
the
whole
issue
about
putting
in
some
friction
and
slowing
down
some
processes
helps
redirect
people.
I
We
do
need
to
also
watch
the
other
fronts,
because
I
do
know
that
sometimes
displacement
will
happen
through
someone
originally
thinking
I'll
condo
convert,
oh
no
I'll
change
it
to
luxury
housing,
and
then
there
may
not
be
restrictions
around
that
because
the
city
hasn't
been
given
enabling
authority
in
that
area.
So
we
just
will
need
to
be
creative
in
figuring
out
other
things,
but
I
very
much
appreciate
the
opportunity
to
work
with
this
team.
The
other
person
who's
not
here
today,
who
really
had
a
real
contribution
to
this,
was
adam
sitterbaum.
I
A
A
There's
one
question
we
had
from
liz,
which
was
what,
if
you're
converting
two
from
a
three
to
a
four
unit
building
that
was
that
question.
I
don't
know
that
we've
answered
that
yet
that's
one
and
then
the
other
one
is,
since
we
create
what
we're
going
to
permit
or
not
since
we,
where
the,
I
don't
believe
you
need
enabling
laws
to
allow
for
us
to
create
a
permit.
You
know
why?
A
Wouldn't
we
interpret
this
so
that
the
new
permit
applies
to
everybody
who
is
creating
a
a
condominium
that
was
formerly
not
a
condo
two
two
questions
that
I
have
and
just
letting
people
know
the
reason
why
we're
also
doing
this
is
you
know
times
of
the
essence
we
have
until
about
march
31st
on
this
extension
to
pass
this,
but
those
those
two
questions
I
still
and
I
for
everyone
to
know.
I
fully
support
this.
If,
even
if
those
questions
aren't
completely
answered,
I
do
support
this.
G
Yeah,
I
I
I
think
I
can
start
with
the
easy
part
of
the
question
is
that
if
the
property
is
already
not
four
units,
then
it
doesn't
qualify,
it
has
to
start
out
as
four
units
now
mac.
I
think
you
can
speak
to
the
reason
why
we're
not
addressing
smaller
properties
at
all.
In
this
legislation
I
mean
I
could
probably
put
forth
something,
but
I
think
matt
could
probably
say
it.
No
more.
Legally.
You
can
kind
of
fish
out
the
legal
context
for
that.
I
Yeah,
the
problem
is
that
the
only
vehicle
we
have
for
this
is
chapter
527
of
the
acts
of
1983
as
amended,
and
that
limits
us
to
buildings
with
four
or
more
units
in
it.
At
one
point,
when
the
city
had
rent
control
authority,
the
city
could
do
smaller
buildings,
they
could
do
three
units
and
if
the
enabling
law
were
different,
we
could
we
could
regulate
something
else,
but
that's
the
problem
we
have
and
then
there's
you
know
supreme
court
jurisdiction.
I
What
is
the
advanced
planning
we
are
doing
for
those
individuals,
but
it
wouldn't
be
the
same
kind
of
regulation
where
you
could
say
we
can
deny
a
permit
outright,
and
I
think
we
probably
shouldn't
slow
down
this
process
by
drafting
all
that
right
now.
But
I
do
remember
you
mentioned
that
in
one
of
your
earlier
sessions.
A
A
I
I
Yeah
not
not
on
condos,
specifically,
if
you
were
to
do
something
that
was
related
to,
for
example,
how
do
you
do
repair
work
in
a
building,
and
you
know
applying
it
specifically
to
condos?
Yes,
because
that
would
be
part
of
your
public
health
and
public
safety
schemes
that
you
already
kind
of
have
in
play.
I
A
A
A
D
I
think
you've
answered
my
question
about
the
it
has
to
be
more
than
four
or
more
units.
I
agree
with
you,
counselor
edwards,
you
know
the
the
uni.
The
the
units
that
I
worry
about
are
the
the
two
and
three
families
that
are
are
chopped
up
and
made
into
six
units
or
more,
and
I
I
if
we,
if
there
isn't
a
remedy
for
that
in
this,
then
we
have
to
sort
of
maybe
think
of
other
other
ways
to
go
at
it.
E
Thanks
so
much
madam
chair,
I
think
I
I
don't
have
too
many
sort
of
questions
about
the
language
I've
read
through
it
and
it
kind
of
makes
sense.
But
I
wondered
if
we
could
just
talk
a
little
bit.
I
think
the
last
time
we
had
a
working
session
on
this.
It
was
prior
to
dnd
and
isd
kind
of
having
checked
in
in
detail
on
it,
and
I
was
just
wondering
if
maybe-
and
this
might
be
kind
of
directed
primarily
to
chris
english.
E
If
you
could
just
talk
us
through
sort
of
how
isd
is
thinking
about
implementation
of
this
and
and
what,
if
anything,
kind
of
you
changed
in
that
process
and
sort
of
and
what
and
what?
The
kind
of
like
ways
in
which
maybe
it's
been
matched
to
other
things
that
you
do
right
now
or
sort
of
where
it
would
fall
in
your
structure.
J
More
of
a
quick
thing,
because
this
does
you
know,
go
into
effect
immediately
upon
passage
right
and
then,
while
we
develop
a
more
comprehensive,
permitting
system
to
tie
it
into
our
main
hanson
permanent
universe,
which
is
currently
undergoing
a
major
upgrade
the
first
time
in
probably
10
years,
so
we're
not
really
able
to
make
comprehensive
changes
to
that.
Until
that
upgrade,
you
know
completes.
So
we
would
do
something
more
immediate
where
it's
you
know
online
application.
J
J
We
on
the
enforcement
side
and
the
hearing
side.
I
know
there
are
provisions
to
provide
for
administrative
hearings
in
a
lot
of
cases.
Here
we
do
have
administrative
hearing
officers
on
staff
that
hear
appeals
for
most
of
our
violations,
and
particularly
short-term
rental
ones,
so
we're
ready
for
that
and
just
on
issuing
of
fines
where
we
specialize
in
that.
So
I
think
we're
prepared
to
do
it.
E
F
Yeah,
I
would,
I
would
just
add
I
I
you
know
we
had
multiple
meetings
with
chris
and
dion
about
division
of
labor
and
it
became
clear
to
us
that
ohs
has
got
to
really.
You
know,
collect
all
of
the
information
with
the
notices
provide
it
were
they
done
properly
was,
is,
you
know,
is
a
look
back
possible,
really
create
a
file
and
then-
and
then
you
know,
notify
isd
that
we
feel
very
comfortable
with
everything
that
we
have.
F
You
know
received
reviewed
and
we
feel
very
good
about
that
in
checking
in
with
the
tenants
when
necessary-
and
I
think
isd
said
okay
great,
then
we
will
act
upon
your
certification,
we'll
act
upon
your
review
and
and
and
once
we
did
that
it
felt
like
it
all
made
more
sense
than
isd
going
through.
All
of
you
know,
reams
of
notice,
tenant
notices
and
things
which
it's
really
not
their
skill
set.
So
I
think
there
is
a
good
division
of
labor.
Now
we
just
need
to
make
it
operational.
J
And-
and
I
would
add,
you
know,
there
are
other
permit
types
that
require
outside
agencies
to
weigh
in
on
them
before
isd
issues
permits.
You
know:
conservation,
commission,
bpda,
water
and
sewer
that
type
of
landmark,
so
we
do
already
have
an
existing
process
in
place
with
outside
agencies
that
require
sign
off
from
them
before
we
actually
issue
permits.
So
I
think,
where
we're
comfortable
with
that.
E
A
Okay,
so
just
wanted
to
make
sure
I
don't
know
if
all
the
counselors
got
the
kind
of
comparison
back
and
forth
about
the
differences
between
the
proposed
ordinance
and
the
I'm
not
sure.
If
anyone
got
any
back
and
forth,
I
was
just
going
to
do
that
as
a
kind
of
a
walk
through
or
for
the
public
to
make
sure
that
they
understand
what
is
and
isn't
changing,
and
I
think
yes,
okay,
so
and
correct
me
if
I
wrong
so
again,
the
jurisdiction
of
the
law
is
going
to
stay
the
same.
A
It's
for
buildings
that
are
exist
as
they
exist,
four
units
or
more.
That
does
not
change.
There
are
currently
and
the
current
law
tenants
eligible
for
additional
notification
and
benefits
those
are
low
to
moderate
income,
folks
that
make
less
than
80
percent
of
the
ami
disabled
individuals
and
elderly
people
who
are
62
are
or
more
that
is
unchanged,
the
qualification,
the
the
class
of
people
who
are
going
to
be
qualifying
for
this.
What
is
changing?
A
Excuse
me,
what
is
yeah
and
those
eligible
tenants
get
the
following
benefits:
a
five-year
notice,
which
they
would
still
be
able
to
have
other
tenants.
So
those
who
are
not
of
those
categories
I
just
described
would
get
one
year.
That
is
not
changed.
What
is
changing
is
the
eligible
funding
benefits
or
the
housing
assistance.
If
you
will
for
eligible
tenants
again,
the
three
groups
that
I
described
that
would
go
from
ten
thousand
dollars
to
fifteen
thousand
dollars
for
all
other
tenants.
That
would
go
from
six
thousand
dollars
to
ten
thousand
dollars.
A
A
A
If
you
will
and
confirmation
that
they've
done
a
conversion
plan
for
those
that
apply
or
that
that
are
required
to
do
so,
isd,
then
follows
it
up
with
whether
they
would
give
the
conversion
permit
or
not-
and
that's
I
guess,
for
com
for
my
clarification
that
does
not
involve
the
zba.
That's
just
going
to
be
straight
to
exact,
okay,
just
making
sure,
and
then
there
will
be
10,
of
course,
tenant
notifications.
A
And
then
also
we
create
a
fine
structure
for
those
that
violate
the
the
ordinance
and
that
would
be
the
300
a
day.
Maximum.
Fine.
That
isd
can
enforce.
That
does
not
replace
the
fact
that
the
landlord
would
still
have
to
pay
the
tenants
their
move
out
or
their
housing
assistance
monies.
It
is
actually
on
top
of
that.
A
So
it's
a
punishment
and
then
they
still
would
have
to
pay
that
the
goal,
hopefully,
is
that
we
don't
aren't
enforcing
this
after
the
fact
and
with
tenants
who
are
already
displaced
living
in
brockton
who
just
found
out
about
their
rights,
and
you
know,
are
trying
to
to
fight
for
them
in
court.
The
goal
is
to
make
sure
that
we
actually
deal
with
this
so
far
upstream,
that
it
becomes
part
of
the
culture
of
when
you
are
going
to
convert
a
four
unit
apartment
building
to
condos.
A
I
I
have
two
small
little
things.
You
also
fixed
a
just
cause
problem
that
existed
in
the
prior
ordinance,
and
I
appreciate
you
fixing
that
and
also
there's
a
provision
in
here
which
recognizes
that
sometimes
all
that
the
owner
may
be
wanting
to
do
to
get
the
permit
for
is
to
actually
sell
units
as
they
turn
over
but
may
not
want
to
displace.
I
And
so
there's
a
provision
in
here
for
what's
called
a
limited
permit
for
just
those
purposes,
but
then
makes
explicit
that
basically
there's
not
displacement
happening
and
so
forth,
and
so
those
tenants
can
basically
remain
in
peace
and
that's
been
a
function
of
the
law
for
a
while.
But
it's
not
been
as
clear,
I
think,
and
so
I
think,
spelling
it
out
in
paperwork
that
everyone
receives
that
that's
what
all
it's
all
about
will
be
helpful.
A
I
also
hope
that
I
think
if
they
would
actually
complement
the
the
the
push
by
counselor
bach,
especially
for
more
housing
cooperative,
where
the
goal
is
that
the
people
are
staying,
there
they're
now
becoming
owners
of
the
building
collectively,
so
that
actually
really
helps
to
make
sure
that
they're
not
seen
as
having
to
pay
or
do
anything
for
those
folks
who
are
now
becoming
new
owners
staying
in
place.
So
this
is
really
exciting
too.
A
We
quote
the
massive
loophole
and
the
other
ones.
It
looks
like
we're
going
to
have
to
go
to
the
state
for
other
ones
and
as
we
get
more
creative,
but
I
I
again
congratulations:
tim
sheila,
mac,
ryan.
Chris.
Thank
you
for
your
incredible
work.
I
know
dominique
and
ohs
as
well.
I
thank
her
and
all
of
them
for
their
work
as
well.