Tenant Rights Manual | City Life / Vida Urbana

Tenant Rights Manual

City Life/Vida Urbana’s Tenants’ Rights Manual is available in English and Spanish at the City Life/Vida Urbana office. It will help you become familiar with the rights and resources you have as a tenant in Massachusetts. Just like any other civil right, people have had to fight for tenant protection laws. Over the past 30 years, residents and activists in Massachusetts have organized, fought for and won considerable tenant protections. The loss of Rent Control and other critical tenant protections in 1994 pushed Boston and other cities and towns into a severe housing crisis. Now we must fight to win back laws that protect against unfair evictions and high rent increases. When you make the choice to exercise your rights you are acting as an example to other tenants. Use the Tenants’ Rights Manual as a reference and then connect with tenant advocacy groups, legal services centers and/or community groups that help tenants fight for their rights. Don’t Act Alone. Organize!

The Tenants’ Rights Manual talks about:

  • What is a tenant, really?
  • How to access housing
  • The Section 8 and MRVP programs
  • What is a security deposit and last month’s rent payment?
  • Bad and unhealthy housing conditions and what you can do about it.
  • Childhood lead poisoning and asthma triggers in the home
  • Housing Code Checklist
  • Eviction and Rent Increase
  • How to Organize
  • Tenants’ Unions and Resident Associations

Call 617-524.3541 X311 to order copies of the CLVU Tenants’ Rights Manual. A donation of $3.50 per copy is requested.

Click here for link to City of Boston's Good Neighbors' Handbook.