Boston Housing Authority v. Garcia

In Spence v. Gormley, 387 Mass. 258 (1982) (Gormley), we both affirmed that under Massachusetts law a housing authority cannot terminate a tenancy without “cause,” G. L. *728c. 12IB, § 32,1 and held that under the terms of leases then utilized between tenants and the Boston Housing Authority (BHA), violent acts committed by members of the tenant’s household provided sufficient cause on which to terminate the lease, because, “[w]hen the wrongdoer is a household member, a fair inference exists that the tenant is aware of potential problems, and able to exercise some influence or otherwise prevent”…