Lead paint law

Turns out, there is a law in Massachusetts that allows a tenant who has kids of certain age to demand the landlord to de-lead (remove lead-based paint from walls) the apartment at landlord's expense. And the landlord must obey. And of course, the landlord cannot refuse to lease the apartment on that basis. So if you happen to have an apartment with lead on the walls, you're pretty much screwed: you'll have to de-lead it sooner or later. And that's a pretty expensive procedure. Well, at least that was the original intent of the law - to screw the landlord (Mass is a social state, you know).

But guess what? While it's illegal to refuse a prospective tenant just because they have kids, it's perfectly ok to refuse without any reason at all! So that's just what landlords do. When they see small kids, they just stop returning calls and answering e-mails. More emotionally strong ones try to come up with some bogus explanations. And one realtor actually told us (shhh! don't tell anybody, it's a secret!) that he cannot show us any non-de-leaded apartments, because he would lose his business with the apartment management company.


In some other states with similar problems (a lot of old buildings with lead in paint), like Vermont, for example, you can actually sign a waiver, stating that yes, you understand that there's lead in paint, and you agree not to demand it's removal. And that simplifies things a lot. But not in Massachusetts, no way! Your rights are being carefully guarded, even from your very self.

So despite the original intent, the law is actually screwing up the most socially fragile group - lower-middle-class parents with small kids. If you have small kids, you're pretty much limited to de-leaded apartments only. And they, just coincidentally, tend to be more expensive. It's just that nobody would de-lead an apartment just for the sake of it. People usually do it as part of a major renovation, and that adds to the rent quite a bit.

Great law, Massachusets! High five!