Who Owns Massachusetts

Widespread institutional ownership of residential properties is a relatively recent phenomenon, and one that poses both serious empirical problems for researchers and serious housing stability concerns for renters and activists. This project uses spatial data science, natural language processing, and social network analysis to investigate the consolidation of property ownership in Massachusetts. In its current phase, we are developing both novel methodologies and interactive tools to support the identification of landlords and property owners that use multiple companies, including Limited Liability Companies (LLCs), to shield assets from legal liability. Subsequent work will turn to ownership by trusts, including analysis of tax revenue lost due to the use of various forms of trust to avoid estate taxes and accumulate asset wealth.