By Mary Beth O’Sullivan, Ignatian Volunteer at Casserly House
“Do I have to move out immediately if I get a notice from my landlord or landlady?” This question and other common questions were addressed in a Housing Rights Workshop held February 1st at the Roslindale Branch of the Boston Public Library. Because housing is the top concern of our neighborhood, Casserly House coordinated the workshop, in collaboration with City Life/Vida Urbana and the City of Boston. Simultaneous translation in Haitian Creole and Spanish was provided.
With an emphasis on helpful hints for a successful tenancy, Ronel Remy from City Life/Vida Urbana stressed the importance of documenting all correspondence with the landlord/landlady. After small group discussions according to first language, Ronel and Kyle Robidoux from the Mayor’s Office of Housing Stability offered informational resources and help for those having difficulty. More than 60 attendees, some from nearby ABCD Boston English (ESOL) classes, learned that they had both rights and responsibilities and how to exercise them.
At the end of the evening, a brief evaluation was provided to the participants. One attendee wrote “I loved all the information. Excellent workshop. Thank you.” Another attendee wrote “I’m ready to apply everything I learned in this meeting and to exercise my rights.”
