Landlord Assistance Initiative

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 Under Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 139, section 19,  Owners are authorized to evict tenants who use the premises for the illegal keeping, sale and manufacturing of controlled substances.   Through this initiative, a letter, which outlines this statute, is sent to every landlord that owns property in the City of Brockton.

The letter states that under present law, landlords who do not attempt to evict tenants who violate drug laws could face possible civil action as well as criminal prosecution.   A landlord, who knowingly ignores a tenant’s drug activity, could face possible criminal prosecution under this statute.

Once an arrest is made or a search warrant is issued for controlled substances at a particular address, the District Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of state and local police departments will locate the landlord who owns the property.   The landlord will be notified of the tenant’s drug activity on their property.

This initiative has proven to be successful in improving the communication and trust between landlords and law enforcement officials.


Additional Information

Landlord Training Program Manual