City of Boston Department of Neighborhood Development, Office of Housing Stability

Semester: 2017 Spring

Students: Shaina Maldonado, Patricia Alejandro, & Oriol Valenti Vidal

Created by Mayor Martin J. Walsh in January of 2016, the Office of Housing Stability (OHS) is charged with helping Boston residents find and maintain stable, safe, and affordable housing. This focus on community preservation and stabilization makes OHS the first of its kind in the nation.

Essential to the Office’s displacement prevention work is the development of resources to facilitate the resolution of housing-related conflicts. A diverse group of stakeholders have reported the need for a City-run or City-sponsored forum to resolve disputes involving tenants, landlords, property management companies, condo boards and/or homeowners. OHS has engaged HNMCP to assess the current stakeholder needs and design a dispute resolution program that can offer parties a less expensive, more predictable, and more efficient option than existing legal processes.

Activities & Deliverables

  • Stakeholder interviews and focus groups;
  • Assessment and evaluation of stakeholder interests;
  • Delivery of a report with targeted recommendations on a dispute resolution system design that will be accessible, fair, and implementable.
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