Procedures And Access Agreement Form - Alliance Of Cambridge Tenants printable pdf download

Procedures And Access Agreement Form - Alliance Of Cambridge Tenants

675 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139 • P 617 864 3020 / TDD 800 545 1833 x112 • F 617 868 5372 •

CHA PROCEDURES ON GRANTING ACCESS TO AN APARTMENT FOLLOWING THE

DEATH OF A TENANT:

The purpose of this Memorandum is to provide public housing residents with information on the

process CHA is required to follow regarding the access to the personal property of a deceased

resident who was the sole occupant of the apartment.

Once the CHA is notified of the death of the sole occupant of an apartment, the Housing

Manager will change the locks to the apartment. Should relatives require access to the apartment

to remove personal belonging necessary for the burial, the Housing Manager will accompany the

relatives to the apartment to ensure that only appropriate items are removed. The items that are

removed will be catalogued by the Housing Manager.

In order for the CHA to allow the resident’s belongings to be removed, the CHA needs evidence

that a person seeking access to the deceased resident’s personal property has the legal right to the

property. The following options are available to such a person seeking access:

Probate Court:

Filing by heir:

If the deceased resident’s family requests access to remove personal property,

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they should be advised to proceed to the Middlesex County Probate Court to

file the appropriate court papers. Whether the resident died with a Will or

Intestate (without a Will), a person that would be the heir can seek

appointment from the Probate Court as the “Executor” of the person’s estate.

Once that person is so appointed, they have the legal right to recover the

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resident’s personal property and/or dispose of same.

Prior to providing access to the deceased resident’s personal property, the

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CHA MUST obtain a copy of the Probate Court document appointing the

person as the Executor

The person will be required to execute the Access Agreement attached hereto.

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Voluntary Administration:

 If the deceased resident did not have a Will, and died with assets of less

than $15,000 and no car, there is an expedited and simplified method to be

appointed as the representative of the estate.

English

Procedures And Access Agreement Form - Alliance Of Cambridge Tenants