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Landlord Volunteer
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LATEST NEWS
MAY 9, 2023 | THE BERKSHIRE EAGLE FEATURED THE LANDLORD PROJECT’S PRESS RELEASE
MAY 5, 2023 | CAMBODIAN MUTUAL ASSISTANCE ASSOCIATION (CMAA) INTERVIEWS LANDLORD ATTORNEY ALEXANDRA ROMAN FOR LTC CHANNEL 95
MAR 13, 2023 | MASSACHUSETTS LAWYERS WEEKLY INTERVIEWS VLP EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JOANNA ALLISON ABOUT THE LANDLORD ADVOCACY PROJECT
FEB 16, 2023 | South Coast Today Standard Times featured the VLP Landlord Advocacy Project
OLDER ITEMS
FEB 1, 2023 | Khmer Post USA featured the VLP Landlord Advocacy Project’s press release
DEC 25, 2022 | Monique Aziza, Esq is Quoted in the Boston Globe Article: In pandemic’s aftermath, Small Landlords are Still Feeling the Pressure
Nov 21, 2022 | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JOANNA ALLISION SPEAKS VLP AND LANDLORD PROJECT LIVE ON SPARK RADIO WAKE UP WITH TAYLA
View video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19hlpq6f_ms
Nov 21, 2022 | SUPERVISING ATTORNEY DONNA COHEN INTERVIEWED LIVE ON SPARK RADIO WAKE UP WITH TAYLA
View video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGx7JtSyHrI
Nov 21, 2022 | ATTORNEY AND SPEAKER MONIQUE AZIZA LIVE ON EVERETT COMMUNITY TV
Hosted by the Everett Haitian Community Center. View video here: https://vimeo.com/776228150/bb521fa35a
Oct 6, 2022 | VLP AND PARTNER ATTORNEYS PRESENT LIVE LANDLORD TRAINING
Hosted by the Boston Bar Association. View video here: https://vimeo.com/759162120
May 3, 2022 | VLP PARTNERS WITH EHCC THROUGH LIVE COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS
The Haitian, Brazilian, Latino, and American landlord communities tuned in to hear attorney Donna Cohen speak about the Landlord Advocacy project via a live community workshop organized by the Everett Haitian Community Center. Click the link below to view the session:
EHCC x VLP Landlord Advocacy #1
May 2, 2022 | Spark FM Radio: Wake up with Tayla Andre
Radio personality, Tayla Andre interviews leading supervising attorney, Donna Cohen about the Landlord Advocacy Project.
Below are the links to snippets from the interview:
Weekly-Podcast-Show.mp4
Weekly-Podcast-Show_2.mp4
Weekly-Podcast-Show_3.mp4
Weekly-Podcast-Show_4.mp4
Weekly-Podcast-Show_5.mp4
Weekly-Podcast-Show_7.mp4
Apr 1, 2022 | MBLA Partners with VLP Landlord Advocacy Project
Mass Black Lawyers Association (MBLA) has partnered with VLP’s Landlord Advocacy Project to provide volunteer attorneys for the Project’s “Lawyer for the Day” services to eligible landlords to receive free, eviction or eviction-related consultation on a limited time basis. VLP x MBLA’s partnership will help VLP continue to provide access to justice by delivering high quality pro bono legal services to the underserved low-income landlord population.
Mar 17, 2022 | BBA Housing Advocacy for Landlords Webinar
If you missed the 3/15 live webinar, you can view the recording here: Housing Advocacy for Landlords: The Basics and How to Get Involved.
Mar 15, 2022 | Live Webinar | 3:00 PM EST
How to Get Involved will provide a basic overview of how to assist and represent low-income, owner-occupant landlords, many of whom have been financially impacted by the pandemic. It will provide information on why this underserved population needs assistance and how to help by volunteering with VLP. Please register on the BBA website in advance.
Feb 23, 2022 | MBWA Partners with VLP Landlord Advocacy Project
Mass Black Women Attorneys (MBWA) has partnered with VLP’s Landlord Advocacy Project to provide volunteer attorneys for the project’s “Lawyer for the Day” services to eligible landlords seeking to receive free, eviction or eviction-related consultation on a limited time basis. VLP x MBWA’s partnership will help VLP continue to provide access to justice by delivering high quality pro bono legal services to the underserved low-income landlord population.
LANDLORD ADVOCACY PROJECT
Who are our clients?
- VLP serves owner-occupant landlords. These are the “mom and pop” landlords who live in and rent out one or more units of their 2-3 family homes
- Landlords who meet specific median household income ranges
- Landlords who are at risk of foreclosure or bankruptcy
Why do we help low-income landlords?
- Our landlords often rely on pensions and moderately priced rental income to pay bills, maintain their property, and keep their mortgage up to date
- These landlords lack easy access to resources
- Our owner-occupants are often elderly, and their English is often their second language
- Owner-occupant landlords live in the property they rent out, so their tenants are also their neighbors; these circumstances can create unique challenge
VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS & OPPORTUNITIES
DOCKET OUTREACH
- Review docket listings and identify qualified unrepresented landlords who have matters pending in court
- Participation available immediately
- Training will be provided
UPSTREAM SERVICES
- Contact pro se litigants via telephone and/or email to inform them about available programs and services
- Participation available immediately
- Training will be provided
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE APPLICATION SUPPORT (FAAS)
- Assist landlords with applying for mortgage and utility assistance
- Gather necessary documents from landlords to submit with their Emergency Housing Payment Assistance application (applications for rental assistance)
- Regularly check in with the RAA for updates on the applications
ONE-ON-ONE LEGAL ADVICE (1-on-1)
- 15-minute consultation with client in a virtual and secure workspace through a virtual platform called Legal Squirrel
- Training video here.
LIMITED ASSISTANCE REPRESENTATION (LAR)
- Opportunity to represent parts of a case rather than the entire case. For example, provide general legal advice, assistance with starting an eviction action, the preparation and serving of a Notice to Quit (NTQ), a Summons and Complaint, a mediation, or assistance responding to discovery requests.
- Training video here.
EDUCATION & TRAINING AMBASSADOR
- Craft educational trainings and materials on topics that are important for small low-income landlords and the attorneys who serve them
- Present crafted topics via pre-recorded trainings and live webinars.
- Feature your name and work in VLP’s training library shared with major legal and social service organizations throughout the state
To sign up for one or more of the above programs, click here.
WHY I VOLUNTEER
Jared Coltey, Intern at Justice Bridge Legal Center
Volunteering with the Landlord team has been one of the best experiences of my life, we’ve been able to help many people through horribly stressful situations. Not only is the program extremely helpful and successful, but the team is also full of truly great people who make volunteering that much more rewarding.
Morjieta Derisier, Esq. Baystate Law Group
Volunteering as an attorney is an integral part of our judicial system, money should never be a barrier to quality representation.
Len Zandrow Esq., Executive Director of Justice Bridge Legal Center
VLP has been a great partner of ours ever since we launched our law incubator in 2014. The Justice Bridge community and I personally appreciate the opportunities that we have been given to participate in the Landlord program and the services that we have been able to provide thus far on behalf of modest means landlords of owner-occupied dwellings. “
Ted Papadopoulos, Esq. Ashton Law
When presented with an opportunity to help someone in need, seize it! There is no better compensation or reward than the gratitude and thanks from the person(s) you are able to assist.
John Carroll, Esq. Meehan, Boyle, Black and Bogdanow
The gift of giving of yourself to others is a gift to yourself. The reward is instantaneous.
TRAINING VIDEOS
Housing Law 101
- Housing Advocacy for Landlords The Basics and How to Get Involved presented by: Donna Cohen, Esq., Ken Vining, Esq., Krystle Bernier, Esq., Monique Aziza, Esq.; Adam Sherwin, Esq., Kevin Walsh, Esq.,Ted Papadopoulos, Esq., and Dana Cohen, Esq.
- Different Reasons for Eviction by Chris Saccardi Esq.
- Serving a Notice to Quit and Filing Your Case by Krystle Bernier Esq.
- Stopping Bad Tenant Behavior and Getting Access to the Unit by Monique Aziza Esq.
- Common Defenses/Counterclaims by Adam Sherwin Esq.
- Mediation and Agreements for Judgement by Adam Sherwin Esq.
- Post Judgement Issues by Krystle Bernier Esq.
- The Eviction Process
- MLRI Training
- 1-hour online course will guide you through the eviction process, focusing on key steps along the way
- You can stop and start at any point and come back to it to refresh your knowledge
- Lawyer for the Day In Housing Court Training: Frequent Issues for Tenants & Landlords
- VLP Training
- 2:04:28
- Lawyer for the Day: Understanding the Impact of COVID-19 on Summary Process Cases
- HCLC Training
- 58:51
- Limited Assistance Representation
- VLP Training
- 1:11:29
TRAINING SLIDES
The documents and forms posted are for informational purposes only. They may change as the law, regulation and requirements can change without notice. Please make sure to check for the most up to date information.
- Lawyer for the Day Manual: HCLC
- Notice to Quit Attestation Form and Submission Information
- All landlords must give tenants an attestation form and submit a copy of any Notice to Quit for nonpayment of rent given to a residential tenant during the COVID-19 State of Emergency to the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development.
- Virtual Court Access Information
- Language Access: Working with Interpreters
INCENTIVE PROGRAM
- MCLE discount vouchers available to attorneys who actively work with us
- SJC Pro Bono Honor Roll nomination for attorneys who volunteered 100+ hours
- Pro Bono Hours Reporting; case hours and clinic hours
MARKETING MATERIALS
CONTACT US
For questions or comments about this program and the volunteer opportunities, please email echorm@vlpnet.org.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Find resources and links on the Landlord Advocacy Programs’ homepage. Click here.