Category: Past Events

  • Webinar Series: Negotiating a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Local Housing Authority

    Join Mass Union, Legal Aid, and trainer Todd Fry for a two-part webinar series about negotiating a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with your Local Housing Authority. 

    Public housing tenant organizations in Massachusetts have a right to organize, be heard, and participate in matters affecting tenants. These rights can be made much stronger if a tenant organization sits down with housing authority staff and negotiates an agreement called a Memorandum of Understanding (or MOU) or a Memorandum of Agreement (or MOA).

    MOUs can be powerful tools for tenant groups. They can open up better communications between tenants and housing authorities. They can provide access to resources to help strengthen tenant organizations. And, most importantly, they can provide tenant groups with a place at the table to work with the housing authority on issues of concern.

    For more information, checkout the updated Memorandum of Understanding Know Your Rights Booklet!

    Session 1: Know Your MOU Rights – with Legal Aid
    June 16, 2026, 10:30am – 11:30am

    Session 1 took place on June 16 and featured two legal experts — Annette Duke from Mass Law Reform Institute, and Susan Hegel from Cambridge and Somerville Legal Services, as well as Rey Santana, President of the Mystic Tenants Association. Annette, Susan and Rey explained what an MOU usually covers, your rights to negotiate, what recourse you have if a housing authority refuses to negotiate, and highlights from a sample MOU.

    Session 2: Negotiation Skills with Todd Fry
    July 9, 2026, 11am – 1pm

    Now that you know the regulations about what your MOU can cover, learn ways to negotiate a strong agreement with your LHA. In an interactive style, we will walk through strategies, skills, and some practical tips to help you achieve the MOU that tenants in your community want. 

  • Seminario web del 6 de marzo – Español

    Viernes 6 de marzo, 11:00 – 12:00 h
    Zoom
    Video abajo

    El 20 de febrero de 2026, el Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Urbano de los Estados Unidos (HUD) publicó una propuesta de cambio a las regulaciones federales, que negaría vivienda subsidiada por el gobierno federal a ciertos inmigrantes en familias de “estatus mixto”. 

    Mass Union y nuestros aliados lucharemos contra esta propuesta para que ninguna familia en nuestra comunidad tenga que elegir entre la falta de vivienda y la separación familiar. ¡Únase a nosotros el 6 de marzo a las 11 a.m. para aprender más y participar! Nosotros:

    • Aprenderemos más sobre la propuesta de HUD
    • Aprenderemos cómo podemos luchar juntos enviando comentarios a HUD.
    • Recibiremos consejos y apoyo para redactar un comentario poderoso.

    La propuesta podría desalojar a 80,000 personas de sus hogares. Esto incluye a casi 37,000 niños La propuesta también introduce nuevos y más estrictos requisitos para que TODOS los inquilinos demuestren su ciudadanía o estatus migratorio elegible.

     

  • 3月6日網路研討會 – 廣東話

    3月6日，星期五，上午11點

    Zoom會議

    請在下方註冊

    2026年2月20日，美國住房與城市發展部（HUD）發布一項聯邦法規修訂提案，擬拒絕向「混合移民身份」家庭中的特定移民提供聯邦資助住房。
    馬薩諸塞州工會及盟友將全力反對此提案，確保社區內沒有家庭被迫在無家可歸與骨肉分離之間抉擇。歡迎於3月6日上午11時參與我們的活動，深入了解並加入抗爭行列！活動內容包括：
    • 解析住房與城市發展部（HUD）提案細節
    • 學習通過提交意見書抗爭權益
    • 獲取撰寫有力的意見書的技巧
    此提案恐導致8萬人遭驅逐出家園，其中包含近3.7萬名兒童。提案更新增嚴苛條款，要求所有租戶必須證明公民身份或合法移民身分。

  • សិក្ខាសាលាតាមអ៊ីនធឺណិតថ្ងៃទី ៦ ខែមីនា (Webinar) – ខ្មែរ

    ថ្ងៃសុក្រ ទី៦ ខែមីនា ម៉ោង ១១ព្រឹក
    Zoom
    ចុះឈ្មោះខាងក្រោម

    នៅសន្និសីទសហជីពរដ្ឋម៉ាសាឈូសេតនារដូវស្លឹកឈើជ្រុះឆ្នាំ ២០២៥ អ្នកជួលផ្ទះបានបោះឆ្នោតរើសយកគោលនយោបាយអាទិភាពរបស់យើង។ អាទិភាពទី១របស់យើង៖ គឺការពារជនអន្តោប្រវេសន៍ផ្នែកលំនៅឋានសាធារណៈ។ នៅថ្ងៃទី ២០ ខែ កុម្ភៈ ឆ្នាំ ២០២៦ នាយកដ្ឋានលំនៅឋាន និងអភិវឌ្ឍន៍ទីក្រុងរបស់សហរដ្ឋអាមេរិក (HUD) បានចេញផ្សាយសំណើកែប្រែបទបញ្ញប្បញ្ញត្តិជាតិ ដោយលែងផ្តល់ជំនួយផ្នែកលំនៅឋាន ចំពោះជនអន្តោប្រវេសន៍ជាក់លាក់មួយចំនួន ដែលឋិតក្នុងគ្រួសារ “ដែលមានស្ថានភាពចម្រុះ”។ អស់រយៈពេលរាប់ទស្សវត្សមកហើយ ច្បាប់ជាតិអនុញ្ញាតឲ្យគ្រួសារទាំងនេះ អាចរស់នៅក្នុងលំនៅឋានសាធារណៈរបស់ជាតិ។ ការកែប្រែនេះ គឺគ្រាន់តែជាសំណើប៉ុណ្ណោះ-វាមិនទាន់យកមកអនុវត្តនៅឡើយ។

    សហជីពរដ្ឋម៉ាសាឈូសេត និងសម្ព័ន្ធមិត្តរបស់យើង នឹងបន្តតតាំងប្រឆាំងនឹងសំណើនេះ ដើម្បីកុំឲ្យគ្រួសារណាមួយ នៅក្នុងសហគមន៍របស់យើង ត្រូវជ្រើសយកជម្រើសនៃភាពអនាថា និងការព្រាត់ប្រាសគ្រួសារ។ សូមចូលរួមជាមួយយើង នៅថ្ងៃទី ០៦ ខែ មីនា នៅវេលាម៉ោង ១១ព្រឹក ដើម្បីយល់ដឹងបន្ថែម និងចូលរួមតវ៉ាគ្នា! យើងនឹង៖

    o យល់ដឹងបន្ថែមអំពីសំណើរបស់ផ្នែកលំនៅឋាននេះ– តើគេនឹងធ្វើអ្វី និងនរណាខ្លះរងផលប៉ះពាល់– ដោយស្ដាប់អ្នកជំនាញពីគម្រោងច្បាប់លំនៅឋានថ្នាក់ជាតិ និងវិទ្យាស្ថានកែទម្រង់ច្បាប់រដ្ឋម៉ាសាឈូសេត

    o យល់ដឹងអំពីមធ្យោបាយតវ៉ារួមគ្នា ដើម្បីដាក់មតិទៅកាន់នាយកដ្ឋាន HUD

    o ទទួលដំបូន្មាន និងជំនួយសម្រាប់ការសរសេរមតិដែលមានឥទ្ធិពល

    អ្នកធ្វើបទបង្ហាញ៖ Marie Claire Tran-Leung, គម្រោងច្បាប់លំនៅឋានជាតិ (NHLP)

    Marie Claire Tran-Leung ជានាយិកាគម្រោងផ្តួចផ្តើមការបណ្ដេញចេញពីលំនៅឋាន និងជាបុគ្គលិកជាន់ខ្ពស់ជំនួយមេធាវីនៅ NHLP។ គាត់បំពេញការងារផ្នែកតស៊ូមតិថ្នាក់ជាតិ រដ្ឋ និងមូលដ្ឋាន ដើម្បីជួយឲ្យបុគ្គល និងគ្រួសារបន្តរស់នៅក្នុងផ្ទះរបស់ខ្លួនតទៅទៀត ដោយបញ្ឈប់ជាបណ្ដេញចេញពីផ្ទះ និងកែទម្រង់ច្បាប់សម្រាប់ម្ចាស់ផ្ទះ/អ្នកជួល។ មុនចូលធ្វើការជាមួយ NHLP ក្នុងឆ្នាំ ២០២២ Marie Claire បានដឹកនាំបណ្ដាញតស៊ូមតិពហុរដ្ឋ នៅមជ្ឈមណ្ឌល Shriver ស្ដីពីច្បាប់ការពារអ្នកក្រ និងថ្មីៗនេះជានាយិការបស់បណ្ដាញផលប៉ះពាល់ផ្នែកច្បាប់។ គាត់ធ្លាប់ធ្វើជាកម្មសិក្សាការីនៅគម្រោង Soros Justice Fellow និងជាអតីតសិស្សដ៏មានមោទនភាពនៃវិទ្យាស្ថាន Shriver សម្រាប់យុត្តិធម៌ពូជសាសន៍។

    ព័ត៌មានបន្ថែមអំពីសំណើរបស់នាយកដ្ឋាន HUD ដែលលែងផ្តល់ជំនួយផ្នែកលំនៅឋានដល់ជនអន្តោប្រវេសន៍ជាក់លាក់មួយចំនួន

    o សំណើនោះអាចបណ្ដាលឲ្យបណ្ដេញមនុស្ស ៨០,០០០ នាក់ ចេញពីលំនៅឋានរបស់ខ្លួន។ ក្នុងនោះមានជិត ៣៧,០០០នាក់ជាកុមារ។

    o សំណើនោះក៏មានដាក់លក្ខខណ្ឌថ្មី និងកាន់តែតឹងរឹង ដែលចែងថារាល់អ្នកជួលផ្ទះ ត្រូវតែបញ្ជាក់ភ័ស្តុតាងថាមានសញ្ជាតិ ឬមានឯកសារបញ្ជាក់ស្ថានភាពអន្តោប្រវេសន៍គ្រប់គ្រាន់។ ប្រការនេះបង្កើតឲ្យមានបន្ទុករដ្ឋបាលដែលកាន់តែថ្លៃ និងមិនចាំបាច់ សម្រាប់អ្នកជួលផ្ទះនិងអាជ្ញាធរលំនៅឋានផងដែរ។

    o ក្នុងការវាយតម្លៃអត្ថប្រយោជន៍និងការចំណាយរបស់ខ្លួន ស្ថាប័ន HUD គណនាឃើញថា សំណើនេះអាចនាំឲ្យបាត់បង់ទឹកប្រាក់ ៣០០លានដុល្លារ ក្នុងមួយឆ្នាំ សម្រាប់អាជ្ញាធរលំនៅឋាន ដោយសារតែស្ថានភាពគ្រួសារចម្រុះ ដែលត្រូវបង់ថ្លៃជួលផ្ទះកាន់តែខ្ពស់ជាងគ្រួសារដទៃទៀត”។

     

  • 6 Mas Webinar – Kreyòl Ayisyen

    6 mas 2026
    11:00 AM
    Zoom
    Enskri anba a.

    Nan dat 20 Fevriye 2026, Depatman Lojman ak Devlopman Iben nan Etazini (The U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development HUD) te pibliye yon pwopozisyon pou chanjman nan règleman federal yo ki ta refize lojman sibvansyone pa gouvènman federal la bay sèten imigran ki nan fanmi “ki gen sitiyasyon estati imigrasyon yo melanje”.

    Mass Union ak alye nou yo pral goumen kont pwopozisyon sa a pou okenn fanmi nan kominote nou an pa oblije chwazi ant pa gen kay pou yo rete ak separasyon fanmi. Vin jwenn nou nan dat 6 Mas a 11 a.m. pou aprann plis epi angaje nou! Nou pral:

    · Aprann plis bagay sou pwopozisyon HUD la.

    · Aprann kijan nou ka goumen ansanm lè nou soumèt kòmantè bay HUD.

    · Resevwa konsèy ak sipò pou ekri yon kòmantè ki gen fòs.

    Pwopozisyon an kapab mete 80,000 moun deyò lakay yo. Sa gen ladan prèske 37,000 timoun. Pwopozisyon an prezante tou nouvo egzijans ki pi strik pou TOUT lokatè pwouve sitwayènte yo oswa estati imigrasyon ki kalifye yo.

     

  • April 14 Webinar: Storytelling and Public Speaking

    Tuesday, April 14, 11am – 1pm (break included)
    Over Zoom
    Registration below – Español abajo

    Please join trainer Todd Fry and the Mass Union crew to build your storytelling and public speaking skills! We’ll help tenants create compelling stories about life in public housing – what works, what doesn’t, and why this resource is so crucial for our Commonwealth.

    Todd Fry has served as a teacher, leader and social entrepreneur in Greater Boston for over 30 years.  He directed LeadBoston for seven years, and founded several leadership development programs for youth and adults, including The City School, The Merrimack Valley Sandbox, and Mill Cities Leadership Institute.  Since 2006 he has also worked with young genocide survivors in Rwanda to help them create programs and businesses that boost youth resilience and leadership.  As a volunteer, he serves as Executive Director of Rwanda Youth Partnership.  Todd graduated from Northwestern University in 1986 with a bachelor’s degree summa cum laude in Communication Education.  He provides communication and leadership development coaching for a variety of private individuals and business clients, including Leerink Partners, Enterprise Bank, St., Tufts University Gordon Institute, The Mel King Institute, and the Business Professionals Network in Rwanda.

    ¡Únase al instructor Todd Fry y al equipo de Mass Union para desarrollar sus habilidades de narración y oratoria antes del Día de la Vivienda Pública! Ayudaremos a los inquilinos a crear historias convincentes sobre la vida en la vivienda pública: qué funciona, qué no funciona y por qué este recurso es tan crucial para nuestra Mancomunidad. Este seminario web GRATUITO le ayudará a hablar con legisladores en la Cámara de Representantes y está abierto a todos los inquilinos. Se ofrecerá interpretación al español.

    Thank You to our Public Housing Day Sponsors!

     

  • March 6 Webinar: Protecting Immigrants in Our Communities – with the National Housing Law Project

    Friday, March 6, 11am – 12pm
    Over Zoom
    Webinar Recording Below
    Se ofrecerá interpretación al español. Haga clic aquí.
    Ap gen entèpretasyon kreyòl Ayisyen. Klike la a.
    ការបកស្រាយជាភាសាខ្មែរនឹងត្រូវបានផ្តល់ជូន។ ចុចទីនេះ។
    我們將提供粵語翻譯。點擊此處。

    At Mass Union’s Fall 2025 convention, tenants voted on our policy priorities. Our #1 priority: to protect immigrants in public housing. On February 20, 2026, The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) published a proposed change to federal regulations, denying federally subsidized housing to certain immigrants in “mixed-status” families. For decades, federal law has allowed these families to live in federal public housing. This change is just a proposal – it is not in effect.

    Mass Union and our allies will be fighting back against this proposal so that no family in our community has to choose between homelessness and separation. Join us on March 6 at 11am to learn more and get involved! We will:

      • Learn more about HUD’s proposal – what it would do and who would be affected – from experts at the National Housing Law Project and Mass Law Reform Institute
      • Learn how we can fight back together by submitting comments to HUD
      • Get tips and help for writing a powerful comment

    More Information about HUD’s Proposal to Deny Housing to Certain Immigrants

      • The proposal could evict 80,000 people from their homes. This includes nearly 37,000 children.
      • The proposal also introduces new and stricter requirements that all tenants prove their citizenship or eligible immigration status. This creates an expensive and unnecessary administrative burden for tenants and Housing Authorities alike.
      • In its own cost-benefit analysis, HUD calculated that this proposal would lead to a loss of $300 million dollars per year for Housing Authorities, because mixed-status families pay higher rents than other families.
    • Webinar Recording

    Special Presenter: Marie Claire Tran-Leung, National Housing Law Project (NHLP)

    Marie Claire Tran-Leung is the Evictions Initiative Project Director and a Senior Staff Attorney at NHLP. Her work focuses on federal, state, and local advocacy to help keep individuals and families in their homes by stopping evictions and reforming landlord/tenant laws. Before joining NHLP in 2022, Marie Claire led multi-state advocacy networks at the Shriver Center on Poverty Law, most recently as the director of its Legal Impact Network. She was also a Soros Justice Fellow and a proud alumna of the Shriver Center’s Racial Justice Institute.

    Read More

  • Feb 18: LHA Board Members Conflict De-Escalation Training from MKI

    LHA Board Members Conflict De-Escalation Training from the Mel King Institute

    February 18, 3-4:30 pm
    This training gives participants practical tools to manage and de-escalate conflict while staying professional, empathetic, and grounded in trust. Using real examples, reflective discussion, and scenarios tailored to their roles, participants will strengthen their ability to listen actively, set clear boundaries, and communicate respectfully under pressure. The session uses trauma informed and plain language practices that support confidence and psychological safety.
    By the end of the session, participants will be able to:
    • Identify common triggers and sources of conflict in their roles
    • Use simple de-escalation tools that reduce tension and support respect
    • Strengthen empathy and active listening during disagreements
    • Practice clear, boundary setting communication that maintains professionalism
    • Reflect on their own conflict habits and confidence
    • Commit to one action or mindset shift for future board or community interactions
    Provided through a partnership between CultureAlly and the Mel King Institute. Free and available to all LHA Board Members. REGISTER HERE.

  • 9 de enero: Seminario virtual: Participación de los inquilinos en la contratación de la LHA

    9 de enero: Seminario virtual: Participación de los inquilinos en la contratación de la Autoridad de Vivienda (LHA)
    11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
    Via Zoom
    Regístrese a continuación

     

    De acuerdo con las regulaciones estatales, los inquilinos tienen sólidos derechos para participar en la contratación de aquel personal de la Autoridad de Vivienda que tendra trato directo con los residentes. Las regulaciones federales también establecen que los inquilinos pueden “participar activamente a través de una asociación de trabajo con la Autoridad de Vivienda para asesorar y ayudar en todos los aspectos de las operaciones de vivienda pública.”* Únase a este seminario web para obtener una descripción general de estas regulaciones, así como historias de inquilinos que han participado en procesos de contratación en su LHA. Escucharemos cómo puede funcionar el proceso, cuáles son los resultados y por qué la voz de los inquilinos es crucial para estas importantes decisiones. ¡Acompáñenos!

     

    * Ver 760 CMR 6.09(3)(n) y 24 CFR 964.100

  • En–Feb 2026: Serie de Capacitación para Juntas Directivas de LTO

    Serie de Capacitación para Juntas Directivas de LTO
    Martes, de 10:00 a.m. a 11:30 a.m.
    13, 20 y 27 de enero, y 3 y 10 de febrero
    Via Zoom

    Esta capacitación revisará el Manual de la Junta Directiva de LTO de Mass Union, el cual cubrirá todo lo que las juntas directivas de las LTO necesitan saber para organizarse y ¡COMENZAR A TRABAJAR! Abordaremos el propósito de formar una LTO; los roles y responsabilidades de la junta; la toma de actas; los requisitos de reconocimiento; los estatutos; los presupuestos; la apertura de una cuenta bancaria; los informes financieros; cómo rendir cuentas a la comunidad; la inclusión lingüística; cómo llevarse bien; cómo dirigir reuniones comunitarias y mucho más.