Boston Municipal Code ch. 10-2 § 10-2.7
Rent Adjustment Proceedings of Controlled Housing Accommodations
Operative Text
(A) Individual adjustment of maximum rent . The Board shall consider an adjustment of rent for an individual controlled housing accommodation upon receipt of a petition for adjustment filed by the landlord or tenant of such housing accommodation or upon its own initiative. Such petition shall be made on a form approved by the Administrator. The Board shall notify the landlord and tenant if the petition was filed by the tenant, or the tenant and landlord if the petition was filed by the landlord, upon receipt of such petition of the right of either party to request a hearing in writing within 15 calendar days after the receipt of such notice, or the Board may schedule a hearing upon its own initiative. If a hearing is requested in a timely manner by either party, or if the action is undertaken upon the initiative of the Board, notice of the time and place of the hearing shall be furnished to the landlord and the tenant and the hearing shall be conducted before a designee of the Board. The Board may consolidate petitions and actions taken under its own initiative relating to controlled housing accommodations in the same building or development, and all such petitions and actions may be considered in a single hearing. (B) General adjustment of maximum rent by regulation . Upon its own initiative, the Board may make a general adjustment, in addition to those required by Subsection 10-2.5(A), by percentage or otherwise, of the rental levels for any class of controlled housing accommodations subject to such conditions, if any, as the Board shall determine. Prior to making such adjustments, a public hearing shall be held before at least a majority of the Board. Notice of the time, place and purpose of such hearing shall be published three times in at least one newspaper of general circulation in the city, the first such publication shall appear at least 30 calendar days prior to the scheduled date of said hearing. (C) Limitations on petitions for individual adjustment . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Subsection, the Board may, without holding a hearing, refuse to adjust the maximum rent for an individual controlled housing accommodation and may dismiss any petition for adjustment if a decision has been made with respect to the maximum rent for such housing accommodation within the preceding 12 months or if the Board finds that the petition for adjustment is filed for the purposes of harassment or for any other purpose not intended by this Section. (D) Hearings required under division (A) above shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of M.G.L. Chapter 30A, Section 11, except that requirements (7) and (8) of said Section 11 shall not apply to such hearings.
Boston Municipal Code ch. 10-2 § 10-2.7 establishes the procedures by which the Boston Rent Equity Board can adjust the maximum rent for individual controlled housing accommodations or for broader classes of such units. Either a landlord or tenant may file a petition for individual adjustment using a Board-approved form, and both parties receive notice with a 15-day window to request a hearing; the Board may also act on its own initiative. For broader, class-wide rent adjustments, the Board may act by regulation after holding a public hearing with at least 30 days' published notice. The Board retains authority to dismiss a petition without a hearing if a rent decision was already issued within the past 12 months or if the petition appears to be filed for harassment or other improper purposes.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Boston Municipal Code ch. 10-2 § 10-2.7, operators of controlled housing accommodations who seek an individual rent adjustment generally file a petition on the Board-approved form and ensure the tenant receives proper notice of their right to request a hearing within 15 calendar days. Compliant operators are mindful that the Board may dismiss a petition outright if a rent determination was already made within the preceding 12 months for the same unit, or if the petition is deemed to serve an improper purpose such as harassment. When the Board schedules a hearing—whether on a landlord's petition or its own initiative—hearings are conducted before a Board designee in accordance with the procedural standards referenced in § 10-2.7(D).
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Boston Municipal Code ch. 10-2 § 10-2.7 gives tenants of controlled housing accommodations the right to file a petition with the Boston Rent Equity Board seeking an individual adjustment of their maximum rent, using a form approved by the Board's Administrator. Upon receiving notice that a landlord has filed such a petition, a tenant has 15 calendar days to request a hearing in writing, which is an important procedural right worth tracking carefully. Tenants who believe a petition has been filed against them improperly—for example, as a form of harassment—may raise that concern before the Board, and tenants seeking guidance on the process can consult a local tenant-rights organization or legal aid provider familiar with § 10-2.7 proceedings.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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