A group of residents at an elderly housing complex in the Fenway area are saying a cadre of nuns are trying to push them out of their units.
The Daughters of Mary of the Immaculate Conception, a Catholic organization, has offered housing for senior women for the last five decades at the Our Lady’s Guild House (OLGH).
Residents say that new management is pushing them out through unfair contracts that target many of the elderly tenants. Colleen Fitzpatrick, of Fenway Community Development Corporation, said OLGH residents often are living on a fixed income and that soaring rents across Boston make it impossible for them to find another home.
“Many were forced to leave as of July 2018,” said Fitzpatrick. “We’ve partnered with the Greater Boston Legal Services and have organized community rallies. We’ve been able to keep them at their home for now. It’s not only immoral, it’s illegal and they’re committing age discrimination.”
Tenants say that management of the Catholic housing changed hands in 2012 and that the housing has been catering towards college students as more elderly women are being pushed out.
“There’s been a shift in the values it was founded on,” said resident Judy Burnette, who has lived at the OLGH since 2008.
“We were told in July 2018 that we would not be getting lease renewal,” said Burnette. “Ever since new management, we’re being charged an arm and a leg. This is not just a room, it’s our home. The women that live here, we’re a community. So many ladies here would pool money to buy groceries and share the food. If they do push us out, many of us will be homeless.”
“They’re still receiving tax redemptions from the city. In order to have that status as a charitable operation, it’s not right that they’re receiving public benefits, yet acting like a for-profit landlord. They’re motivated by greed and it’s shocking for an order of nuns that subscribe to Catholic values,” said Fitzpatrick.
Both the OLGH and residents say the Attorney General Maura Healey’s office has taken an interest in the ongoing dispute.
“In 2016, OLGH changed management companies in order to improve tenant services and building operations. In 2018, when tenant leases were complete, most of the residents honored their agreement and transitioned out of OLGH,” an OLGH spokesperson said in a statement.
“However, despite having agreed to the 2014 lease and knowing full-well that OLGH is for temporary housing, a handful of tenants proceeded to make false claims and accusations of the management company and OLGH in attempt negotiate permanent residency … Currently, OLGH is working with the tenants and the Attorney General’s office to come to a mutually agreeable solution for all parties.”
