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Owners of a Fenway roominghouse under fire for discriminatory rental policies have hired Colliers to market the property, which is being sought for acquisition by a pair of affordable housing developers.
Our Lady’s Guild House changed its marketing policies in the past decade to add short-term rentals marketed to college students and raised rents, resulting in the eviction of many long-time residents, according to the Fenway Community Development Corp. The Fenway CDC and the Planning Office of Urban Affairs, the Archdiocese of Boston’s affordable housing nonprofit, have sought to acquire the 137-unit property at 20 Charlesgate West for permanent affordable units.
In 2018, Greater Boston Legal Services asked the attorney general’s office to investigate alleged violations by the owners, including discrimination against elderly and disabled residents in their marketing and management policies.
Jeanne Pinado, former CEO of Madison Park Development Corp. and now an executive vice president for Colliers, will represent the New Britain, Connecticut-based order of nuns in marketing the property.
“OLGH intends to accept bids for the property only from buyers who will commit to utilizing the property in total or in significant part for the purpose of affordable housing,” owners said in a statement.
The sale will not affect existing tenants’ leases, owners said in a statement issued Monday, and are committed to a “transparent process of communication and engagement” regarding the changes. The sale requires approval of the Massachusetts attorney general as a public charity-owned asset, and a closing is expected no sooner than spring 2022, the owners stated.
