HIGH DISPLACEMENT RISK
ROXBURY
Roxbury is one of the most historically significant and most at-risk neighborhoods in Greater Boston. A predominantly Black community with deep cultural roots, Roxbury faces severe displacement pressure as gentrification accelerates from surrounding neighborhoods. Roxbury is also home to one of Greater Boston's most proven solutions: the Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative (DSNI), a community land trust that has kept land affordable and in community hands for decades. If you live in Roxbury and are facing a rent increase, eviction, or housing instability, these resources are for you.
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS AS A RENTER IN MASSACHUSETTS
In Massachusetts, landlords must give 30 days written notice to raise rent for month-to-month tenants.
Evictions require a court process. A landlord cannot remove you, change your locks, or shut off utilities without going through Housing Court.
You have the right to a habitable home. Landlords are legally required to maintain heat, hot water, and safe living conditions under the Massachusetts Sanitary Code.
If you receive an eviction notice, you do not have to leave immediately. You have the right to contest it in court.
RESOURCES
Free legal aid for low-income residents. Serves Roxbury.
Community land trust in Roxbury providing permanently affordable housing, community ownership, and tenant support. A nationally recognized model for housing equity.
Emergency financial assistance up to $10,000 to prevent eviction and keep families housed.
Nonprofit affordable housing organization serving Mission Hill and Roxbury.
THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST MODEL
Roxbury is home to one of the most important housing solutions in the country. The Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative has used a Community Land Trust model to remove land from the speculative market permanently. Residents can buy or rent homes at below-market rates while still building equity. Resale caps keep units affordable for future residents. This is what permanently affordable housing looks like — and it works.