Tenant Protection Resources

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Through its excellent City Manager’s Housing Liaison Office and Multi-

Service Center, the City of Cambridge is a leader in providing city resources for protecting tenants; and

The City can continue to improve these resources by building on the important work of the Multi-Service Center, the City Manager’s Housing Liaison, and others in the City in assisting tenants, as well as the City’s existing contracts with legal services organizations; and

The number of local evictions has been increasing, partly because pandemic- related policies have expired; and

State Trial Court data show that statewide, while about 90 percent of landlords are represented by lawyers in eviction court, only about 10 percent of tenants have lawyers, and case outcomes reflect this drastic imbalance; and

The City must continue to minimize the need for court action by providing adequate landlord-tenant mediation resources and better notice of tenant rights and resources; and

The City Council is pleased to see a funding recommendation in Governor Healey’s FY25 budget and a favorable state legislative Judiciary Committee report on House bill 4360, to address these issues statewide; now therefore be it

That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to improve city resources so that every Cambridge tenant who is served with a summary process complaint and has a household income no more than 80% AMI has access to representation by a lawyer in court if the tenant requests, if necessary by expanding existing city contracts with legal services organizations; and be it further

That sufficient mediation services continue to be available to resolve landlord- tenant disputes without court action whenever possible; and be it further

That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to recommend more flexibility in the MSC’s payment of tenants’ emergency non-rent arrearages in order to prevent evictions; and be it further

That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to recommend ordinance amendments to the City of Cambridge Tenant Rights and Resources Ordinance, Chapter 8.71 of the City Code, to ensure that all Cambridge landlords and tenants receive annual notice from the City, for example in October, of these and other rights and resources; and be it further

That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to include in the FY25 budget amounts sufficient to carry out these policies; and be it further

That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back to the Housing Committee on progress within a reasonable time before filing the city FY25 budget; and be it further

That the City Council go on record endorsing the Governor’s budget request and House bill 4360, to address access to eviction counsel statewide.