Babcock Towers is a 213 unit building located in Brighton, with 160 units rent restricted under the 13A mortgage program. Many of Babcock Tower's subsidized tenants are seniors or persons with disabilities. MAHT organized and held many meetings with the Babcock Tower Tenant Association to address building-level issues and preserve the building as affordable housing for the 160 subsidized tenants once the 13A mortgage fully expired in March, 2022.
In October 2021, the Boston Housing Authority agreed to grant Section 8 mobile vouchers to all 13A tenants. Nonetheless, subsidized tenants faced harassment from management. Despite a statewide fair housing law that prohibits landlords from rejecting Section 8 vouchers as a form of rent payment, several tenants were told that their voucher would not be accepted, and they would face significant rent increases or eviction.
However, thanks to pressure from the Tenants Association, MAHT, and Greater Boston Legal Services, the owner has since agreed to provide new leases for all former 13A tenants. These new leases will began on May 1st 2022, and the owner has committed to keeping rents at their subsidized levels in the interim period after the 13A mortgage expired on March 1st, 2022. Victory!
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