Property Management

Effective June 1, 2026, the Massachusetts Housing Court implements new procedures governing when court events will occur remotely, in person, or in a hybrid format. The new rule, Housing Court Standing Order 1-26: In-Person and Remote Court Hearings, replaces the temporary pandemic-era remote hearing framework and formally establishes a long-term hybrid court model for Housing […]

Two federal lawsuits pending in Boston are challenging a practice that has long operated in the background of Massachusetts summary process cases: the assessment of landlord legal fees before a case proceeds to judgment and before a judge reviews those fees. The cases, filed against AvalonBay Communities and Greystar, ask a federal court to determine […]

Superior Court Judge Kenneth Salinger ruled that a Caffe Nero shop on Newbury Street did not have to pay back rent for the nearly three months last spring when indoor dining was halted under state orders to combat the spread of COVID-19.  The Newbury Street location closed in October — business was flagging even after […]

On November 7, 2014, the Massachusetts Appeals Court issued its decision in the case of Drummer Boy Homes Association, Inc. vs. Carolyn P. Britton et.al., which has major implications for condominium associations and property managers. The relevant issue in the Drummer Boy case was whether condominium associations can file multiple concurrent lawsuits to establish so-called “rolling liens” to […]