What to Expect from Proposed TOPA Legislation

The Small Property Owners Association (SPOA) hosted a webinar moderated by Amir Shahsavari and Chris Lehman about proposed tenant right of first refusal bills (S. 890, H.1426, and H.4208) in Massachusetts. These bills mirror the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA) passed in Washington, D.C. Our panelists were Jeff Turk, local counsel to the Greater Boston Real Estate Board and the National Apartment Association; Steve Bremis and Attorney Steven Broadley, representing the Somerville Property Owners Coalition (SPOC); and Sen. Richard Tisei and Jim Eisenberg of Preti Strategies. The webinar covered a wide range of topics related to the proposal, including potential legal problems with the bills, likely practical challenges with their implementation, and the political calculus surrounding their passage.